#although i think everyone can use the first draft advice!

[onmyliteraturebullshitagain]

Hello! I’m a big fan of your work. I write some myself, but I often have a hard time sticking with my stories, even if I love the idea and characterization. As soon as something isn’t coming out exactly like I envisioned, I kind of just rage quit lol.

So I was wondering if you could explain your process? Do you make an outline? Does it come to you as you go along? How do you stay excited about what you write?

Hello there! First of all, I'm SO sorry this took me forever to answer, but I was having a bit of a mess with my own writing and process and then just... life. All that. But here I am now, and I'll try to explain what I can!

Ok so first of all, I think everyone has some projects they just rage quit or sputter out on, and I think that's part of the writing process. But I do think there are ways to make staying at it easier!

Here's my big one, which I also tell my students with academic stuff: a first drafts only job is to EXIST because you can't revise a blank page. So remember that when you're writing, it's most likely NOT gonna be perfect on the first write though! Sure, sometimes you have moments that are just genius right away, but often, stuff takes work. I rewrite and revise ALL THE TIME. Probably more than is healthy, honestly, but letting go of that perfectionism and just trying to get the first draft to exist on the page can make a big difference in continuing to write things to completion.

As far as outlining, my answer to that is sort of weird? Because I don't do any formal sort of outline but I do basically always have a general idea of the end of the story when I start writing. This could be the big climax moment (the couple gets together, the hero saves the day, etc) or even just the internal development I want to see a character work through by the end (the protagonist starts out closed off from others but learns to accept help by the end, etc). Either way, I see my stuff mostly fizzle out if i don't know what I'm writing toward. That ending point might (and often does) change through the writing process, but there's almost always SOMETHING I'm writing toward.

I also do make ridiculous notes for myself about character and plot points and ideas of endings just so I have them to refer back to. Again, they usually change a lot bc I'm not a rigid outliner, but it helps me to have some sense of what's happening and why. Let me see if I can find an example.

Haha OK, here's a WILD example of my notes for The Play's the Thing way back in the day:

Is it a Google doc of slightly messy nonsense? Yes. Did it give me a place to brainstorm and refer back to later when I was writing? Also yes.

So I'd say figure out what sort of notes/outlining/planning works for you. Also remember that you don't have to write in order! No one reading it will know, so sometimes it helps to jump around in the narrative if you feel like you're getting stuck.

In that respect, I also sometimes use brackets if I'm in the zone and don't wanna derail myself with looking for the write word or figuring out details of some little scene that doesn't matter at the time. My first drafts are littered with [add word] [characters travel to next scene] [time period specific clothing] etc that I can then find via searching " [ " and revise later. That can help keep you from getting hung up and/or bogged down by the fiddly details when you're writing for the broad strokes.

As far as staying excited about what I write, I'm not sure what to offer except that I like knowing what I'm writing toward and also allowing the story to grow and evolve as I'm writing it. Characters come to life when you get writing, and sometimes letting them surprise you can do wonders for keeping a story going. It sounds crazy, but allowing a story to grow and adapt and head in different directions (as long as you've still got that sense of where the story's headed and that it's heading toward something) can really keep you interested and motivated. I'm also just weird and usually enjoy the writing/revising process as long as I'm still feeling excited about and enjoying the story.

Which leads to the reminder to write what you want and what makes you happy! It sounds like you've already doing that if you like the characters or ideas, but maybe finding plots and styles you enjoy more could help too. :)

OK, that got very long and was definitely a look behind the curtain at my chaos, but I hope maybe some of it could help keep you writing and feeling good about it! I hope so, and I hope to read some of your stuff someday!

#writing #writing process #outlines #notes #the chaos of writing #writing tips and tricks #ask #idk if what i do works for anyone else but here we go #although i think everyone can use the first draft advice!

[babydollmarauders]

luke and quinn’s relationship with media management reader and a blurb about when jack introduced them to each other pls

y/n is really close with luke and quinn! luke met her first when he attended the Devils vs Ducks game in december of 2019, and they hit it off really quickly! since she and Jack had quickly become best friends, he was adamant on introducing her to Luke, but he didn’t think they would get so close!

**

“y/n!” my head snapped up from the tweet i was drafting on the devils account, finding jack with a wide grin on his face. he was speed walking into my open office door, still dressed in his practice gear, with what appeared to be a teenage boy shyly trailing behind him.

“jacky. to what do i owe the pleasure?” i ask, quickly shutting the phone off and slipping it in my pocket.

“i wanted to introduce you to someone.” the smile has yet to leave his lips as he pulls the boy to stand next to him. “y/n/n, this is my brother, luke! luke, this is my new best friend, y/n.”

a shy, albeit awkward, smile adorns luke’s face as he holds his hand out for me to shake. i laugh, bypassing his hand to pull him into a hug instead.

“she’s a hugger, i should’ve warned ya.” jack chuckles as i pull away.

“it’s so nice to meet you!” i exclaim, cupping luke’s face with my hands and squishing his cheeks.

“oh, she does that too.” jack says. luke chuckles, raising his own hands to squish my cheeks in return.

“nice to meet you too.” luke replies through squished cheeks, his words coming out slightly mumbled. i smile wide as we both let our hands drop.

“oh i like you! i’m gonna keep you.” i tell him, making the boys laugh once more.

“he’s here for the game tonight! sitting behind the bench! he’s next to your usual seat.” jack informs me.

“oooh! seat buddies! i’ll point out all the times jack sticks his tongue out in concentration as he hops over onto the ice. and you can help me keep track of everyone’s penalty minutes! oh! and i’ll let you take tonight’s post photos! this is gonna be so much fun!”

luke’s eyes widen as i ramble, sharing a look with his brother. jack just nods his head solemnly, silently letting him know that i am indeed always this way.

“sounds great!” luke smiles, slinging an arm around my shoulders as i start walking out of the office, still rambling. jack stands back, watching us with furrowed brows as we talk.

**

y/n technically met quinn over facetime during the pandemic. but he provided her with advice, which made her immediately think of him as a big brother figure.

**

“hey, jack. you down for some street hockey?” a voice off-screen has me cutting off my rant, willing my tears to stop.

“hey, quinner. i’ll, uh- i’m in the middle of something, do you mind giving me a few minutes?” jack says, and i recognize the nickname for his brother, putting 2 and 2 together.

“oh, no, jacky, go hang out with your brothers!” i tell him, my voice raspy from my crying. “you don’t need to sit here and listen to me cry over something so stupid.”

“is that y/n?” the voice off-screen asks, making me scrunch my eyebrows in confusion. i sniffle, wiping at my runny nose with the sleeve of my hoodie.

“yeah. hey, maybe you can talk some sense into her. c’mere.” jack replies. my eyes widen as quinn plops down on jacks bed next to him, his face coming into the camera view.

“hi. i’m quinn.” his introduction is short and precise, but i appreciate it. “you okay?”

“hi quinn, i’m y/n. although it sounds like you already knew that.” i say, wiping at my wet cheeks. “i’m okay.”

“no, she’s not.” jack chimes in. i roll my eyes at his directness. “tell him whats wrong, y/n/n.”

“yeah, what’s going on?” quinn’s voice is oddly soothing. i can tell he’s keeping it soft in order to be comforting.

“it’s just my stupid boyfriend.” i roll my eyes at myself as fresh tears start to flow.

“what did he do?” quinn asks, his eyes soften as i let out a silent sob. jack seems to understand that i’m unable to speak through my sobs, so he takes over for me.

“she’s been dating this guy for a couple months and she just found out that he has another girlfriend.” jack explains.

“shit, he was cheating on you with this other girl?” quinn’s question makes me cry even harder and jack sighs.

“no.” i manage to say through my cries.

“i’m slightly confused then.” quinn admits.

“he’s been with this other girl for over a year. y/n was the other girl.” jack whispers, obviously hoping i wouldn’t hear but i still did.

“oh.”

“she doesn’t even care that much about the fact that he cheated, she didn’t really like him very much anyways-”

“jack!” i cut him off, but jack ignores me.

“she’s more upset that she was unknowingly the catalyst in someone’s relationship. she doesn’t like the idea of the other girl hating her.”

“i see.” quinn nods. “and you had no idea he had a girlfriend?”

“no idea. he didn’t act like he did! and despite what jack said, he did seem like a good guy! my heart just wasn’t in the relationship. which might make me seem like a bitch for staying with him but i swear i was already planning on breaking up with him!”

“hey.” quinn coos, effectively calming down my anxious rambles. “i don’t think you’re a bitch for staying with him. and as for the other stuff. you didn’t know, y/n. you can’t hold his mistakes against yourself. he’s the one who cheated, not only on his long-term girlfriend, but on you as well. did you contact her and tell her after you found out?”

“yeah.” i sniffle again. “i dm’d her on instagram. she thanked me for letting her know and told me she didn’t hold it against me since i didn’t know. but i know how girls are. we hold grudges, even if we don’t show it.”

“you can’t let yourself overthink, y/n. she said she doesn’t hold it against you. she even thanked you for telling her. i promise, she has no reason to hate you. you are not the one who fucked up. he is.”

it’s all the same stuff jack told me, but it hit different coming from someone with an outside perspective.

“can you adopt me?” were the first words that left my mouth after a few deep breaths. my heart rate was finally seemingly normal and i could feel my anxiety melting away after quinn’s speech.

quinn just laughs, along with his brother.

“i don’t think our age gap is quite steep enough for that. but i’ll have jack text you my number, and if you ever need someone to talk to, you can come to me.”

#faithlynn speaks 🪐 #media management au! #media management series <3 #quinn hughes #luke hughes #jack hughes #nj devils #new jersey devils

[hexhomos]

do you have any advice on creating for a fandom where the target audience is super small? i published my first jv fanwork the other day and although i obviously dont just do it for compliments/attention, im hesitant about continuing to create because it feels discouraging to be the only one interested in what i have to offer if that makes sense. i feel like leaguefic is not in demand at all in comparison to arcane and im not sure how to motivate myself… i love your work, thank you so much

To be perfectly honest, not bullshitting you at all here: I don't think there is a single-person fix for this. I have a share/discussion based brain and i generally thrive when doing most of my work within, at least, a private active community. A lot of times my motivation *for* finishing a complex painting or polishing up 10k+ words of something is that i want to be able to show other people what i see and what i like about certain things. Without that community aspect, i just tend to keep to myself and never evolve past drafts lol

Making art is hard. Especially if you have some sort of affective or emotional attachment to the subject. I think a couple years ago it wasn't so tasking, or at least it didn't feel so lonely, because fandoms tended to be more willing to leave indepth feedback or engage with things they liked on a daily basis -- but the culture of 'fast consumption' 'content mills' and 'neverending generated content' of the present decade has taught a lot of people to undervalue the work that goes into transformative projects.

This is why nowadays we see so many frequent calls reminding people to comment in fic, or actually hit the reblog button on some art they like, or even try to use long tags to express what they feel. The 'neverending content influx' marketing push has rendered broader audiences (and im including myself here, i'm not perfect) more apathetic, and more wiling to silently pass by things without a word, prioritizing the 'consumption' of 'large masses of content' rather than curiosity or engaging with a single thing for large amounts of time.

the TL;DR is that I don't think this is something you can fix on your own. It's an environmental issue. When I write, I'm doing so with the confidence that at least one person is really going to engage with it. (this can be a friend, or another internet person similarly lost in the digital desert, it varies.) The only way to rejuvenate a fandom ecosystem is to remind people to *try to give a tiny piece of their time* back to artists whose work they love, appreciate, or even mildly enjoy. It doesn't have to be HUGE extensive feedback everytime. If something made you chuckle for even a second, just try telling that to the person who made it. If you enjoyed reading something, or were amused by how someone wrote your favorite character, go tell them! right now! Try doing it a little bit of that every day! If everyone who sees this post went out right now to leave a word for a small creative they enjoy, we already would be so much better off. Communities are like orchid gardens; to get the special, unique, blooming flowers, you need a steady hand caring for them. We are all gardeners.

#resources

[dailyhelldorm]

[TL][Eichi Feature Scout] Compass in the Heavenly Sky/Chapter 1

Scenario Writer: Yuumasu Character: Eichi, Wataru, Tori, Yuzuru, Hokuto, Subaru, Makoto, Mao, Tatsumi, Hiyori, Hajime, Ritsu Season: Winter

Summary: Because of the continuous postponements, Eichi's turn to have his Exclusive Outfit comes quite late. While pondering his costume design choice, he goes out for a walk to have a change of pace...

Directory: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2

[Part 1 ♪]

Location: Meeting Room

Eichi: Even though we are busily preparing for the special 'SS' on New Year,

But I am delighted that none of our 'FLAVOR' members failed to attend our activities like this.

Hiyori: When I hear this will be our last meeting for the year, there is no way I will decline this occasion. It will be boring if the main character isn’t here, isn't that right ♪

Ritsu: That's right. Along with all the delicious desserts from your own private patissier too.

Being together with someone who enjoys idle chit-chatting and having a back-and-forth conversation is pleasant~

Hajime: Fufu. The five of us can come together like this, it is truly a nice thing... ♪

Lately, every meeting always has someone who can’t attend. I understand that it can't be helped, but looking at the empty spot makes me feel a little heavyhearted.

Tatsumi: You are right. The five of us make 'FLAVOR'.

Next year will be busy as well, so I would like us to have the time and spend together like this.

Eichi: Of course, that’s my intention. If not, my mind and body will start yearning for it.

Even superman needs a break too.

... As for this year, there were a lot of things that have happened as well. There are idols from different agencies here, so I ought to rephrase my reflecting words nicelyー

But I am happy that one of our procedures has now reached its final stage.

Part of the managing team of ES appeared to have been looking down on Producer-chan, they said things like ‘Is it even possible to make all Exclusive Outfits for every idol?’ or ‘Won't this plan end up falling apart?’

She is not your ordinary everyday girl, and once again they have had to realize that fact... ♪

Hajime: You mentioned the 'Exclusive Outfit', but Eichi-oniichan still hasn't had his yet, right?

Based on your standpoint, will you undoubtedly end up being the last one? Did Producer-san discuss it with you?

Eichi: She asked for my advice long before, when she was still drafting the Exclusive Outfits plan. ‘Public faces of ES like Tenshouin Eichi should be the first on the list’ is quite a probable suggestion.

But starting with me might create some kind of unwanted political schemes. So to deliberately avoid it, I left Producer-chan in charge of everything.

She considered how busy I was, so that girl let me decide my own timing to make the Exclusive Outfit.

I have been postponing it because I want to take into other people’s outfits as references. But I guess it is about time now.

Since all the same in the end, people might begin to suspect me if I am the last on the final performers’ list[1].

Location: STAR PRO Office (Conference Area)

Eichi: … ... ...

… 'Merry Christmas ♪'

Fufu…

(Watching Branco's PV warms my heart. My fatigue melts away just like the white snow.)

(I want to continue watching, but it's time to get back to my work.)

… ... ...

(... Today's tea party was fun. It has been a while since we had an endless chat like that.)

(It’s nice to hear the stories behind everyone’s Exclusive Outfits. Although Ritsu-kun has teased me about it. 'You're really craving for this huh~?' he said.)

(I can't help it, now can I? Other than Ritsu-kun, people won’t come and discuss their outfits with me.)

(Me too, I want people to come and talk to me casually as well. But considering my status, they might find it hard to consult me.)

(I feel a little bit resentful toward my position now.)

(... Ah, right. About my Exclusive Outfitー)

(Like what I said before, it’s about time for me to contemplate it.)

(Producer-chan told me to think about it whenever I have spare time, but if I do what she said, my outfit will never be finished.)

(This job is also one of the approaches to hype ES up, so it is quite a prominent work. I should put in some effort and come up with something.)

(... Yet, I am in a scramble now. Whenever I open the sketchbook, I can’t think of anything.)

(The only thing inside my mind is all the Exclusive Outfits I have seen until now.)

(Some people expressed their ideal individuality, some showed their true earnest selves, some considered their fans’ feelings… Everything was converted through each and every outfitー)

(And created their one and only Exclusive Outfits in this world.)

(The next one will be me. What is the thing that fits the image of the idol ‘Tenshouin Eichi’…?)

… ... ...

(... Keep gazing at the ceiling won’t get me anywhere. I need a walk to expand my mind.)

[End of Part 1 ☆]

Directory: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2

Translator’s note:

[1]: The word being used here is Ootori 大トリ. This is a word for when the performers are divided into groups (such as Kohaku Uta Gassen), the last performer of the later group will be the Ootori of the show. The word can also be meant for the biggest performer, as the big stars often appear late. Like Rei's TS2.

#eichi tenshouin #dorm translation #tatsumi kazehaya #hiyori tomoe #hajime shino #ritsu sakuma #translation #enstars translation

[cowherderess]

11, 26, 28 for the writing ask!

Thank you! 💖

11. Three tropes that are fine but overrated.

The first thing that comes to mind for me, as a frequent viewer of period dramas, is Modern AUs. The appeal for me is the period, so even if I come to love the characters, I'm generally not interested in plucking them out of their context.

Although I wouldn't say that, or any other trope I don't personally enjoy (high school AU is another one), is objectively "overrated." I love kidfic but I know it's not everyone's cup of tea. All people are different people, innit :)

26. What would you describe as OOC?

I think it's quite contextual– hard to give examples but I know it when I see it. "She would not fucking say that," etc.

Modern AUs are the likeliest offender though. On the one hand, it's endearing to think of the ways past generations were like us; on the other hand, our times do shape us. Mary Crawley born in 1992 instead of 1892 would've had quite a different experience of life!

28. Any writing advice that works for you and you feel like sharing?

I can all too easily spend ages agonizing over word choice or phrasing even in a first draft. So in the interest of ever actually finishing anything, I try to let myself be messy! Like putting a word in brackets if it's not quite the one I'm thinking of, so I can come back to it later. Or if a scene isn't gelling, writing a little synopsis of what I want it to convey so I don't forget, and allowing myself to jump ahead to the words that are gelling.

Or, dialogue is usually what comes first for me, but I also like weaving dialogue with action. If I know I want to split up a piece of dialogue but not what with, I'll just leave a blank, like:

“I’m surprised you even have tea in your kitchen.” “Yeah, well–” _____. “It was for Tim Lasso, but ol’ Tim never came back for it. Finders keepers, losers weepers.”

Writing asks! ✍️

#itsagutthing #asks

[firstkanaphans]

hii, how you doing? i hope you're well! i'd like to ask for some advice as a writer... how to get past the embarrassment of posting a fic with smut... 😭 maybe i'm just silly but woah i feel so shy about it but it's really something i've been considering but i still haven't found in me to take that step yet so if you had some advice i would really appreciate it

Hiii!!! I’m just coming off of a four-day weekend, so right now I’m going great! Thank you for asking. And of course I would be happy to help! 💛

So, just a little background about me: I didn’t publish my first explicit fic until the week I graduated college—and the fact that I remember the date so precisely is probably proof enough that it was a rather nerve-wracking experience for me. Even then, the only reason I started writing smut in the first place was because I was in a fandom where if you wanted your fics to get read, they pretty much had to be explicit. Luckily, BL fandoms don’t really seem to have a bias either way (at least as far as I can tell). In fact, in my experience, non-explicit fics actually seem to fare a bit better. Just as an example, my two mature-rated fics, Divine Intervention and Alone with You, both have the most kudos out of any fic in their respective fandoms. I know that sounds like a humble brag, but the point I’m trying to make is that you don’t need to write explicit fic if you don’t want to.

But if you do…

Obviously, everyone’s relationship to sex and sexual content is going to differ and as an asexual lesbian, I’m pretty lucky to have a bit of a detachment from the things I am writing about. Akk and Ayan are attractive, but I am not attracted to them. Their sexual experiences look vastly different than mine. I think that makes it easier. The fics I get the most nervous to post are the ones where I, personally, feel titillated by the subject matter. I’ve written exactly one explicit wlw fic in my life and it was so immensely embarrassing I swore I would never do it again.

Now obviously, if you aren’t ace or you are sexually attracted to the characters you’re writing, that’s not really something you can change. But it’s strangely liberating in a way to know that that anxiety is literally all in your head. What was the difference between the one wlw fic I wrote and the literal dozens of mlm fic I write every day? Nothing except my relationship to it.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that no one is going to be analyzing your smut as deeply as you think they are. And although it sometimes feels like you’re baring your soul as a writer, readers are smart enough to understand that just because a character does something doesn’t mean that the writer does that thing too. Because, spoiler alert, I’ve never once had sex with a penis but I write about it A LOT. In fact, I think readers are generally more forgiving of poorly-written smut than they are poorly-written anything else.

A few craft tips that might help you out:

Focus more on what the characters are feeling than what is physically happening. You don’t need to tell me where everyone’s hands are at all times. The reader’s imagination is perfectly capable of filling in those blanks. Ground the scene in emotion instead.

Don’t be afraid to use the word “cock.”

Write a few scenes just for you without the intention of publishing them. You’d be surprised at how well you can write when you take away the threat of other people seeing it.

If you have a fandom friend that would be willing to read a draft of your explicit scenes beforehand, I highly recommend that. (Or, hell, I can do it!) Sometimes just having an extra set of eyes on something will help with your nerves.

And like anything, it’s gonna get easier. I absolutely love writing smut now. It’s calming for me. When I was trying to write original fiction for publication, it pained me to not be able to write explicit sex scenes because for allosexual characters, sex is an important part of a relationship and not being able to show it feels like you’re only getting half of the story. That’s why directors like P’Jojo will always have my whole heart. They get it. Showing queer sex on screen is important.

I hope this helps you at least a little bit! Happy writing!!

#asks #writing advice

[callabang]

hi calla! sorry if this is a weird question, but i just remembered the fic exchange primer you made so i thought i'd shoot my shot. do you know if you need to have a dreamwidth to sign up for hbb? are there any things you think a first time hbb-er would need to know that might not seem obvious? thanks so much either way!

hello! no weird questions on THIS blog

((link to hbb sign-ups & instructions))

i have only done hbb once, in 2020, so it's not totally fresh in my mind, but i'll do my best to help! as far as i know (edit: confirmed by mods!) you don't need a dreamwidth account to sign up, although it does make it easier to post. you CAN just post comments anonymously, so long as you include your AO3 username in the comment itself

more stuff under the cut

so the broad structure of HBB is below, and i think just going incrementally deadline by deadline is the best way to tackle things for a beginner!

Sign-ups Open: Now! Mandatory Check-in/Primary Fanworker Sign-ups close: Monday, August 1 50% Draft Completion/Summary Submission: Wednesday, September 14 Summaries Posted For Viewing: Saturday, September 17 Summary Claims Open: Sunday, September 18 Posting Date Claims Open: Saturday, October 15 Mandatory Check-in for All Participants: Thursday, October 14 Posting Begins: Monday, October 31

stuff that might not seem obvious (also: always check with the mods! they are in charge)

not everyone posts at once, like in an exchange; you're assigned a date and they are staggered

a fifty percent draft doesn't actually need to be half of your fic, but half of the minimum, so 5k words! that said you do have to at least bullet-point plot out the entire thing, for the mods and for your secondary fanworker

as for other ~*insider*~ advice.... my HBB (a beam of your sun that banishes winter, aka fuckpriest) was co-written with @manybumblebees, which was the best decision i could have made personally! i know that co-writing isn't for everyone but even just to designate a cheerleader and handholder is a great to way to stay motivated and engaged as you work.

a big element of us finishing the story was really committing to 250 words a day, which is 1) not as hard as it seems at first 2) a great way to write more than your goal every day. it also allowed us to finish a complete draft with enough time to get some very thoughtful feedback from out beta and make substantive edits that helped make the story much stronger, which was a new and good experience for me, someone who lovesssss to finish at the last minute and then have a beta just check for spelling and grammar, el oh el.

one more piece of big advice is to be in communication with your accompanying fan-work-creator (ie artist, podficcer, etc), once you hit that stage! if you need more time or need more of a draft or need to drop out or anything, it's better to get in touch sooner than later.

also, it's a very cool thing to participate in a big bang and you should be proud of yourself for trying it!! have fun!!

#i hope this helps!! i feel like i'm running my mouth #if you have more questions i'll do my best to answer 'em! #anon #hockey big bang #Fandom Events

[zellsvents]

Draft of Crown of Blood Chapter 1 (critism encouraged)

I dipped my quill in ink and began writing, 

“Dear Hanzō,

Every moment you have been by my side has been extraordinary and enchanting. As the next heir to the throne I have to carefully consider my lovers. There are many factors I have to remember, for instance, people using me for the throne or assassination plots. Hanzō, one of these factors is the approval of the citizens, while I don’t care about what others have to say, I’m afraid that I can’t ignore that I’m their voice and have to mold myself to their expectations. I think it’s time I introduce you as my significant other.  There is a banquet coming up where everyone is invited, during my speech I would like to introduce you, so if you would please be my partner for the banquet I would be delighted. I’m sure my people will love you as much as I do.

Your love,

Prince Odai”

I placed the letter carefully into a beautifully decorated white and gold envelope. I kiss the letter for good luck and ring the bell on my desk. Quickly my personal knight, Nitin enters my room. 

“My prince, how may I be of assistance,” He said bowing without once making eye contact.

I smile at him and wait for him to stand up and say, “Can you make sure this reaches Hanzō?” I handed him the envelope. 

He stares at the envelope for a second, he always gets silent when I mention Hanzō. I don’t think he approves of our relationship. It’s a good thing that Hanzō hasn’t noticed; he has quite the temper. 

“I will make sure this arrives safely. Although if I may ask, what are you writing to him about?” Nitin asks, still avoiding eye contact.

“I can’t write to my boyfriend?” I joke.

“No, that's not what I meant, my apologies,” Nitin mutters. 

“I was just joking, relax. I’m inviting him to the banquet so I can introduce him.”

Nitin got quiet again, he nodded and left the room. I never understood why he didn��t just stay in the room. He just stands outside the door anyway. I told him he could stay in here with me but he just shook his head. I wonder if that's something they cover in knight training. 

I spent the next few days before the banquet writing my speech. I have been writing speeches all my life but I had an especially difficult time writing this one. I had to introduce Hanzō in a way that would persuade the people to love him. I had to write about his good traits and avoid the topic of him being a foreigner. I was very stressed but Nitin kept coming to check on me and giving me advice. I’m very grateful to him, if he wasn’t so distant I would say he’s my most treasured friend. 

The day of the banquet, it came rather fast. I was a little nervous, so I propped up the picture of me and Hanzō on our first date; he took me to a bazaar. I kissed him that night, I didn’t think we would be together this long though.  As I was staring at the picture there was a knock at my door.

“Come in,” I responded

Nitin held the door open as my mother walked in carrying my little brother. My mother, the queen of Kyo-gen, she is grace personified. My little brother, Agni, the sweetest boy you will ever meet. 

“Mother! What’s with the sudden entrance?” I ask since she never enters my room unless it’s to scold me.

“Nitin told me that you’re inviting Hanzō to the banquet, I don’t mind Hanzō but are you prepared to face the citizens?” My mother asked as she put her hand that wasn't holding Agni on my shoulder.

I know full well that if things didn't go well I would have to break up with Hanzō. I was scared but I knew that no matter what happens my family isn’t going anywhere. Even if I lose Hanzō I still have my parents and Agni. 

“Trust me mother, I thought this through. If me and Hanzō can’t be together then I’ll be fine and I’m sure Hanzō will understand. It’s not like we won’t be friends still.” I reassure her. 

Mother smiles and removes her hand from my shoulder. Agni stares at me and smiles, I could tell he was excited for the banquet. I press my finger against his nose and he giggles. Mother smiled as well. Not only am I the perfect prince with the perfect King and Queen as parents, we also have the perfect family. I wouldn’t trade them for the world. 

“Well, come on then, we have to get you two dressed,” Mother said warmly. 

Me, my father, and Agni wore a gold and red sherwani. My mother wore a red and gold ghagra choli with lots of gold jewelry. My mom probably outshined all of us. She looks absolutely stunning. If only I got some of the beautiful genes. 

I ran through the banquet schedule in my head. The banquet was going to proceed like this: the guests would enter in and the royal family would greet them, then the King and Queen would give their speeches, I would follow shortly after introducing Hanzō, we would then answer and listen to the citizens requests and questions, we would eat and mingle with the citizens, lastly we would wish all the guests farewell as they exit. 

As we walked towards the door to prepare to greet our guests, my stomach started to hurt. I usually don’t have any problems at these events. Surely Hanzō isn’t this worried. I took a few deep breaths but they didn't really help. 

“Odai? Are you alright?” my brother asked as he grabbed my hand. 

“No need to have any concern for me. I’ll be fine. We’ll be fine,” I reassured Agni but it also helped calm me down.

Me and Agni held hands as we approached the door. Nitin and a couple other guards were stationed nearby. I locked eyes with Nitin and smiled, he looked away once he noticed I was staring. We stood near the wooden door with metal designs to greet our guests. Our guests poured in quickly and I greeted them with a smile. I was watching for Hanzō as the rest of our guests came in. I think about 850 people came in before Hanzō. When he arrived my face lit up and I took his hand. 

“Hanzō! You took your time getting here,” I exclaim.

Seeing Hanzō helped calm my nerves a little.

Hanzō smiled, “It’s not my fault everyone in the kingdom wants to come to this banquet. The news about the prince's new boyfriend is everywhere.” 

Hanzō seemed off… I don’t know how to describe it. He just seems different. 

“Yea Surabhi people like to gossip,” I start leading him to the side a bit so we are out of the way, “You ready for today?” 

“Am I ready for 1000 people to decide if I’m allowed to love their precious prince?” Hanzōs smile fades, “Not really.” 

So he’s nervous? I gently rub my thumb over his hand. 

“It’ll be fine. Worst case scenario we are just friends.” 

Hanzō pulled his hand away. 

“Maybe for you. But I don’t think I could ever be happy in Serabhi without being your partner,” He looked genuinely upset. 

“Then I will do my best to make them love you,” I state.

I speak with confidence that I don’t have. I don’t know if my words alone can make them appreciate him. It's clear he doesn’t even like Surabhi. 

“Look, Odai,” Hanzō began. Agni came over and grabbed my hand, “It’s time for mama’s speech!” 

The speech finished quite quickly. After all it was just an introduction speech, it wasn't the main event. Whatever I do here will dictate the rest of the evening. 

“It’ll all be okay…” I take a deep breath and stand in front of the crowd, 

“As you all know, this isn’t just any banquet. A 4 years ago when a terrifying event had struck the palace I became lost. It was almost as if my entire world had changed. I lost something that made me whole. It was a part of me. A part that is still… hurts to neglect. I went out on a walk in hopes to find something to fill the empty void. That's when I found the most beautiful man I'd ever seen. He immediately went to see if I was okay even though he had no idea who I was. I finally felt whole again. Somehow being near him fills the void that the incident caused. I love my people and my land, I only wish that my people can share the same admiration for this man as I do. He is an amazing and cunning leader who would make a wonderful king. I hope that all of you will feel the same. Hanzō, would you please join me?” I extend my hand out and Hanzō takes my hand and joins me with the same smile I knew and loved. 

The crowd immediately filled with whispers upon seeing Hanzō. His smile faded. 

“It’s okay they're just… surprised is all,” I tried to reassure him. 

But I didn’t believe it. My people have a lot of pride in being Surabians. But pride is a double edged sword. 

“I know I’m not from surabhi. That does not mean I’m any less deserving to marry prince Odai. I for one think you people shouldn’t get to decide the fate of our love! He isn’t a child. If you have any self respect or faith in your crown prince then you will keep your mouths shut.”  

I stared at Hanzō in disbelief. Yelling at one or two people is one thing. But on this scale, they’ll never forgive him.. 

“Hanzō! Mind your manners while in the palace please!” I plead.

The people start booing and jeering towards Hanzō. Hanzō shares a glare with the crowd then me and storms off. 

I take a shaky breath and face them, “I think these events have made it clear. I will not be staying with Hanzō. I ask you all to respect him still. It takes a lot of bravery to stand up for oneself but even more to stand out and stand up for others.” I calmly walk after Hanzō whose grumbling in the corner. 

My family is whispering about something and Agni is looking confused. They are probably upset because I brought up what happened 4 years ago… but that's not what I need to focus on. 

“Are you okay?” I probably humiliated him but that's all I could think to say… 

“You're a moron. How can you expect me to ever tolerate people such as those? How can the next in line be such a pushover? You're weak and pathetic. How can you expect to rule without me?” 

I’ve never seen such anger from him before. 

“It wasn’t my decision, you know that! But I am a prince first. My people mean the world to me. I can’t fail them,” I felt my eyes start to water and my guts start to whirl. 

Hanzō looked me dead in the eyes, “If you truly loved me you wouldn’t have taken no as an answer.”

Maybe he was right… We were young and I had never been in love before. Maybe I never loved him. But I know that I was hopeful and at peace with a future with him. 

“Hanzō, every word I say to you is my undeniable truth. I hope you can forgive me and my people,” 

Hanzō shook his head and walked away after muttering, “Have fun ruling without me Odai.”

#writing prompts #lgbtq #writers on tumblr

[hcuyk]

hii hii im way to new at interacting with blogs i follow to take off anon but anyways…

i really want to branch out and start writing again, it was something i used to do frequently but like got made fun of yk how it goes.

do you have any tips for writing ? i really enjoyed reading the kidult story which made me want to ask you for advice on writing anything helps ! 😵‍💫

hi anon! this is such an old ask that i've responded to in my drafts??? but never posted because it was too long, so now i decided i'll rewrite my response and post it this time!

i hate to hear that you've been made fun of wtf 😭 i will FOREVER throw fists at those people

although i doubt you may see this after Years, i think others may benefit from this!

ADVICE ON WRITING:

something i always recommend is rewrite, not revise! your final draft should look nothing like your first draft (in my opinion). when i write out my first draft, it's a mess—from writing only dialogue that comes to mind to reusing the same verbs over and over again—and that's perfect! then when you rewrite, that mess becomes more clear:

you notice more plot holes

the more you rewrite, the more the scene expands and you have a better idea of what's happening, from reactions to what's happening in the background

as much as its time consuming, i did it with every scene in kidult! in fact, for those who don't know me or my blog as well may not know this, but hyunjae's/myungho's mom was never meant to be the villain until i rewrote and thought more about every scene!

or for my headline fans, if you read the first chapter, it's kind of implied that haknyeon was supposed to be the second-love interest, but that changed drastically the more i wrote (cause how tf did i end up with qhak 😭)

for me and my writing, the story truly writes itself :]

another big tip is do NOT be afraid of scraping scenes! as much as it hurts, it can really put you in writer's block. maybe the scene you wanted to happen is not meant to be in your fic ^^ set the scene aside as an alternative and come up with another idea

my examples of this is with kidult's happy ending. my last scene that i have written made me stop, and i've dropped it ever since because i've been so busy and it became less of a priority. half a year later i realized i need to drop it and write something else, and that revived my motivation!

those are the big two that help me out a lot. my writing has definitely improved but not as much as it could have within the past two years because i've been focused on nearly everything else, so if you can, try and write daily! even if it's only 100 words. sometimes those ideas will resurface and you'll be thankful you already had an idea accumulating ^^

thank you for stopping by and asking this question! it means the world to know that there are people who admire(?) my writing, even if i myself can't see anything special :( if there's any other tips people want to give me, i would also greatly appreciate it! just like everyone else, i am always looking forward to improving as well

i think i also always had a fixation on numbers back then, from instagram views and followers to likes on tweets and then likes on tumblr posts, but right now i'm breaking that down because i know i will always have people supporting me, even if it's a close friend or family member, so never be shy with posting your works! if anyone also wants to recommend stories, whether it be someone else's or your own, absolutely send them my way!

i'm sorry this is so long, but i hope this helps anyone who needs it :] <3

#inbox: anon! #the boyz #tbz #nct dream #seventeen #sunwoo headline #changmin kidult #jeonghan kidult

[crucifixes-and-chrysanthemums]

Journal number 2; I forgot until a minute ago that I was doing this weekly!

I started a 9 day novena to Saint Anne last Tuesday. It'll be finished on the 29th, and then I'll send Brial a message - I managed to find her on Facebook. It goes (or at least, the draft of it):

Dear Brial,

I am sorry.

You were right.

At this point you can stop reading - those are the two most important parts of what I have to say.

I hope that you are well, and that you continue reading. I began in apology and I must begin the body of this the same. I did not treat you as you deserve to be treated. I was raw and hurt and refused to see it. I was sick and called it health, and spurned you when you told me the truth of the matter. Even more, I pushed you away when you said you would stand by me and help me heal. And when I ended our relationship, I did not even have the decency or honesty to tell you the truth - that it was because I could not face reality. In no uncertain terms, I was a bad person and a worse partner.

I have done a great deal of prayer and soul searching. I faced myself and my history. I took your advice, eventually, which in my heart I knew to be true. That is why I struggled to do so in the fist place. I told you that I was considering joining the Army, and I could not make that decision with a partner. The first half is true, and even after I healed and got better, I considered it for a long while. I eventually decided against it. The second half is a lie, and even in that moment, deep down, I knew it was a lie. I was running from the truth of things. Self-isolating and making a martyr of myself in a vain, stupid attempt to do something that I knew even then was impossible, and even were it, it would not be good. I did not believe in myself and you did, and for that I pushed you away.

I did not begin to fully grasp this until about a year ago, after I had healed from Leisha. There was no near death experience or life-changing conversation or some encounter with an epochal work of writing. Instead, there was simply the slow revelation of what I had done and not done. There have been some since, which have only served to help, thanks be to God. Each issue that we had could have been solved had I been willing - I know that you were. I did not appreciate your kindness, patience, and understanding.

In several drafts of this, I expressed something to the effect of "meeting the right person at the wrong time." This nagged at me, though. I do not think that it was the wrong time. Your repeated willingness to work with me, as a partner, showed that. So it was not the wrong time. With this expression, then, it would be that you were not the right person. But I do not believe that for a moment. That is why, then, I reject that expression upon further thought. Instead, I was the wrong person for everyone: you, myself, and others. Instead, I met the right person as the wrong person.

I am not sure if I expect to hear from you or not, honestly. I would be a liar if I said I do not want to. I would like to make us work. I do not want to "start over" - that'd be impossible. Instead, I would like to try again. I would like another chance.

Jeffrey Yaw

Em says it doesn't sound corny or cliche or dumb. It's heartfelt, that's for sure. It didn't hurt to write like I thought it would, honestly. It felt nice to get it out there. To admit it all to myself. If she doesn't give me a chance, that's okay. I'll live.

Anyway, Christmas passed. It was really nice to see everyone. Worked Christmas Eve morning, then went home and changed. Mass in Retsof at 4, then over to grandma and grandpa's. It was a very nice visit actually! Everyone was in a good mood, even Tim. He was actually out and out pleasant! We all joked and made merry and ate delicious chicken wing dip - made by grandma from Jodi's recipe this time, instead of by Jodi. Then Christmas we opened our own at home, then went to Nan and Pap's. Another great visit, although I really would've preferred turkey or ham to roast beef. Hendrix got to come along since David and Amy didn't bring their dogs. He was a smash hit. I put pap's light on his gun and showed him how his new holster worked. I got a Milwaukee heated sweatshirt and I'll be getting Mom one too since she loves it so much. I also got a Stetson hat from grandma and grandpa! I plan to wear it through fall and spring mostly. I also need to go through my closet &c and clean some things out. I have too much stuff.

Anyway, that's about it! A nice week, all told. My apologies for being a bit late.

Tuesday, December 27th, 2022, 12:22am.

[miekasa]

Mie, I’m begging for some Jean college au bf hcs - im literally so down bad for this man and the way you write men is just 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻

Absolutely, not a problem 😌 I saved this ask as a draft a while ago when you sent it, sorry for just now getting to it. Anyway, I love Jean with my whole heart, best boy, best boyfriend <33

King of forehead kisses, and not even just because of his height in comparison to yours; he just likes it. He likes the feeling of pressing his lips against your skin, and making you feel safe.

Brings you tea or coffee however you like it every day without fail. If he can get it to you in the morning before work/school then he’ll do that, if not he’ll meet you some time in the middle of the day to drop it off. Your own personal courier just for drinks.

He… has a thing for long(er) nails. He loves the feeling of them against his skin, even if you’re not scratching to apply pressure—just you holding his hand them grazing his skin is enough for him.

That being said, he will pay for you to get your nails done. Actually, he’ll pay for… almost anything you want, but the nails benefit him as much as they do you so feel free to ball out.

He never blowdries his hair because he doesn’t... know how to do the back of it. You did it for him once and he hasn’t stopped thinking about it since, but he’s also too embarrassed to ask you to do/style it again.

On the subject of hair, he does do his best to style it and take care of it, but he’s a sucker whenever you play with it. Sometimes he feigns like you’re messing up all his hard work, but he’ll literally crane his head into your touch. He loves it. 

The first time he lays on top of you and you run your hands through his hair... top 10 most euphoric moments of his life. He tries to fight off the sleep threatening to take over him, but it’s futile. Give it 15 minutes at most before he’s knocked out like a baby. 

Dogs love him. Anytime you’re in a park or just taking a walk and there’s a dog around, it’ll come up to him and he looks adorable leaning down to pet it. He loves dogs, too! So he’s always happy to stop and pet them. He’d be a 10/10 dog dad. 

Has your name saved in his phone with two hearts at the end. Do not point it out.

Loves taking pictures together and if you guys are on a date, he’ll ask someone to get a picture for him. He just likes having them to look back on (and to send to his mom, later).

He doesn’t mind painting classes or videos or tutorials, but he hates paint by numbers kits. He claims that they have no sense of color theory and that it takes the originality and fun out of painting. Not to mention the quality of the paints isn’t great to begin with; all of which he takes very seriously.

It’s pretty cute actually, to see him get worked up over the paint kits. He claims that painting and drawing isn’t even something he takes “that seriously,” it’s just a hobby for him (one he’s insanely good at); but in moments like these, you can tell that he’s way more into art and art theory and history than he lets on. 

Huge movie guy, from animated movies to martial arts movies, Jean is usually willingly to give anything a watch at least once. When he’s high, he can go on about his favorite directors and art styles and movie details for hours if you don’t stop him. It’s super cute. Just don’t bring up Moana, because he’ll start crying. 

Arm around the shoulder kind of boyfriend for sure. It’s a casual way of keeping you near him and letting everyone know that you guys are together. Plus it allows for him to easily pull you into him for a quick forehead kiss when needed.

Listen. If you hug his arm, he’s on cloud nine. He tries to be nonchalant about it but he’s about three seconds away from his eyes rolling back in his head it feels that good to him. Bonus if you lean your head on his bicep a little—then he’s a goner.

He takes his bagels very seriously and believes that both you and him deserve nothing but the best quality bagels. He’ll grumble if a bakery gives you guys a less than favorable one and make a note that taking the long route to get to his favorite place is much more worth it.

Always makes you walk on the side furthest from the cars. If he notices you’re not, he’ll just shuffle behind you until he’s shouldering the street and you’re on the inside. 

He grew up on a kind of modern ranch situation; not exactly all the way in the countryside, but not isolate from the city, either. Because of this, he knows how to ride horses, take care of smaller farm animals, tend to plants, and yes he knows how to use a lasso. You wouldn’t know any of that though, because he never ever talks about it. The only way you find out is when he takes you to visit his mom’s house for the first time, and she asks him for a hand around the place. 

(He’s got a cowboy hat, too, but refuses to put it on. He got it when he was, like, nine, okay, leave him alone). 

When he thinks you look tired, he’ll wrap his arms around your shoulders to hug you. It’s usually followed up with a kiss to your head, and a promise that you guys will go home soon and get food on the way. 

He’s a really good cook. He just understands and flavors and pairings really well, so he doesn’t need a recipe to make something that tastes good; he just kind of knows what to add to get the balance he’s looking for. 

Naturally, he’ll cook for you. Especially if he finds out that you haven’t eaten all day/in a long time. He doesn’t care if it’s 11pm and it might seem excessive to make steak and potatoes with a side salad at this hour, he’s gonna do it to make sure you eat, and you are going to sit there and watch. 

He also bakes pretty well, though he isn’t as experimental with his baking as he is with his cooking. He usually sticks to what he knows, and it’s not cupcakes and brownies and cakes; he’s better at croissants, and cheesecakes, and canelés. 

Dating Jean means getting along with his friends. If you guys didn’t know each other before you started dating, be prepared to be ambushed by Connie and Sasha (after Jean stops hiding you away and gives them the green light lmfao). Neither of them waste time with the small talk and formalities; straight into mini golfing and beer pong. They make you feel welcome right away.

Sasha always teases that you’re too good for Jean, and that she might just steal you away for herself some day. Sasha is also Jean’s main confidant, so she really knows just how much he loves you, and yeah, she teases him for being lovesick, but really she’s happy for Jean. And proud of him for facing his feelings like this. 

Connie adores you, and you know he trusts you when he starts going to you for advice/help. Could be anything from schoolwork, to what color he should get his new shoes in. He’s also the one who, surprisingly, you have the sentimental talks with about your relationship with Jean. It’s easy to overlook, but Connie loves Jean, and he’s come to love you too; he just wants you both to be happy, so he’s there to listen when you need it. 

Jean waits outside of your classroom after you’ve had a test or presentation, usually with a drink or a snack, or the promise of taking you out as a treat. Always tells you he’s proud of you, and is there to comfort you if you think you didn’t do too well. 

He does not shut up about whatever major you’re in. It could be the same as his; it could be the complete opposite as his. He thinks it’s so sick that you’re doing it, you make it look cooler, you make it look better, and he’s certain you’re the smartest person in your program. 

He’s pretty serious about his studies, too, so he’s always down to study with you in the library whenever you’re both free. More often than not, he shows up after you, usually with food or extra chargers. He greets you with a kiss on the forehead, and asks you how you are while massaging your shoulders gently. If it’s been a while since you took a break, that’s the first item on the list, after that, he gets to work and stays with you until you’re ready to go, even if he doesn’t have as much work to do. 

He always sits across from you. This goes for when you’re in the library, or out to eat at a restaurant; Jean loves sitting across from you. He gets to see your face the best that way, and he adores looking into your eyes when you talk. 

He’s not... not a morning person. He’s not up at 6am ready to grind, but he wakes up before noon; let’s say 10am is his happy medium. That being said, if you wake up before him, regardless of the time, there’s a 9/10 chance he’ll lay on your back and tell you to hush so you guys can sleep for 10 more minutes. 

If you’re (close) friends with Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, Jean is... happy you’ve got people to rely on, but, “Of all people on the planet, you put your trust in Jaeger?” He acts so bitter (because he is), but deep down inside, he’s glad you have Eren to rely on if you need to. 

(Also, you have to humble him and remind him that he and Eren aren’t all that different. If you like him, why wouldn’t you get along with Eren, bye). 

Turns out though, that it’s not Eren who threatens to beat him up if he breaks your heart. It’s not even Mikasa, although, her threat goes without saying; it’s Armin he’s terrified of.

The last time Armin hated someone, it was this guy in your program, who happened to share a few mutual classes with him, too. Jean never knew the full story, just that he’s pretty sure that kid dropped out the following semester. 

If you have a job on campus, Jean usually doesn’t show up while you’re working (knowing how embarrassed he would be if you did that to him), unless you work the night shift and it’s dead. Connie, however, does show up; usually in some kind of crisis (“Please help me, I don’t know what the fuck APA formatting is and this is due tonight, please, please, please!!”). Your coworkers actually thought Connie was your boyfriend for a minute. That’s when Jean starts showing up more lmfao.

He makes it a point to go on a scheduled, night out, kind of date at least twice a month. He knows life gets busy with school and work and midterms, but he always makes sure you both set side a time to take a well-deserved break and be with each other. 

He’s the romantic type, so these dates are pretty swoon worthy, too. Drive-in movies, nice dinners, classy art exhibits, Jean plans it all. On that note, he really likes planning dates; he just doesn’t like talking about them with his friends beforehand. 

All in all, very romantic, very precious boyfriend. He’s always thinking about you, what you need, and how he can help you out. You’re one of his main priorities, and he just wants to treat you right. 

#anonymous #when.... when.... WHEN IS IT MY TURN #aot x reader #jean x reader #jean kirschtein x reader #jean kirstein x reader #aot imagines #no because he's the love of my whole life #jean fluff #jean smut #eren x reader

[she-who-fights-and-writes]

Hi, sorry if I missed this in your FAQ, but do you have any advice on how to incorporate humor into a story? Also, how do you know when something is funny?

How to Write Humor

Humor is very hard to pull off for writers. Many aspects of humor depend on a person’s expression and delivery, on the way they say the joke and how they hold themselves while they speak. It relies on the inflection of the voice and certain hand gestures and expressions.

With writing, all you have are words on a page and the reader’s imagination, and it can be especially hard to write humor if you don’t find yourself funny and aren’t quite a comedian.

Here are some tips on how to write funny jokes and humor into a story and make sure that it stays funny. 

1. Don’t Use Memes or Modern “Slang” as the Punchline

The thing about memes and slang is that they come and go. There’s a new viral meme every week, and trends are born and die faster than you can blink. 

Once these things go out of date--whether they be turns of phrase or certain words-- society often brushes them off as “cringey” and will often react negatively to seeing it in a story. 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read an older fic and they’d refer to dogs as “doggos” or say something like “it do be like that sometimes” and even though it might’ve been funny during the height of these trends, now they make me make a face and squirm a little in my seat. 

The best way to keep hip is to not keep hip, so to speak. Come up with your own original content and your own original jokes and your writing will remain nice and ageless, withstanding the test of time and the test of cringe culture. 

2. Randomness and Spontaneity Jokes are Best Left for Visual and Auditory Media

This kind of humor revolves around people blurting out random things and is kind of reminiscent of slapstick comedy. 

Think of this TikTok audio that has been going around recently which involves audio from the Cartoon Network TV show Johnny Test: 

“Why did you resist a police officer?” 

“Why are you police officers?” 

“I blew up Malaysia.”

See how it doesn’t  make much sense in words? The only reason why this audio was funny was because of the way the actors spoke it and the way the punchline was delivered, which readers cannot imagine in their minds if they’ve never heard it before. 

 This kind of humor comes off as childish and low brow, and will make more mature audiences uncomfortable rather than entertained. Having characters blurt out things that make no sense in the middle of a dialogue just interrupts the story and brings it to a grinding halt, and I see this mistake primarily made with fic writers struggling to make their stories more humorous. 

It’s like the dialogue equivalent of dropping an anvil on your character; although it’s funny when it happens to Wile E. Coyote, it’s not funny when it comes to written word. 

3. Dry Humor is the Easiest Humor!

Dry humor, also known as deadpan, is the deliberate display of emotional neutrality that’s meant to be blunt, ironic, laconic or apparently unintentional. 

It’s not a “joke” or a “pun” that’s told specifically to make people laugh (i.e. “Where do cows go on dates?” etc.), it’s just something that people say the just so happens to be funny. 

In my personal opinion, dry humor is the easiest way to bring humor into your story. It doesn’t require any characters to be “jokesters” and it doesn’t require a lighthearted situation. It’s just a remark--perhaps about a certain situation--that readers can interpret as humorous.

Some Examples of dry humor:

“You smell of death and destiny, of heroics and heartbreak!”

“It’s onion.”

--Jaksier and Geralt, The Witcher

*****

(Drilling sword stances...rather poorly)

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Practicing.”

“What, ways to die?”

--The Hound and Arya, Game of Thrones

*****

“My first girlfriend turned into the moon.”

“That’s rough, buddy.”

--Sokka and Zuko, Avatar: The Last Airbender

*****

“And what could be better than serving up smiles?”

“Being dead.”

--Spongebob and Squidward, Spongebob

4. Situations Can Be Funny, too, Not Just Dialogue!

Sometimes characters can get themselves into trouble in ways that may not be funny to them but can definitely be funny to a reader.

Tripping, hitting their head, stubbing their toe--especially during times of high tension--can be an excellent way to incorporate humor into your story. “This can’t get any worse” situations that get worse, a character being put completely out of their element, and other such things are all great examples of this

Just make sure to do it within reason, though, as to make sure you’re not falling into the random/spontaneous joke category!

5. Write What You Think Is Funny, But Make Sure Others Check It!

I know some people may be insecure in their ability to write jokes, but the easiest way to make sure your story is funny is to write what YOU think is funny. There’s a pretty good chance that you’re just your own worst critic!

I know for me personally, I found that when my friends were reading the earlier drafts of my books, they would find things that they thought were funny without me even intending for them to be a joke! Everyone’s sense of humor is different, and everyone will interpret your writing, in various ways. 

So write your story how you want to write it, and have someone read it over to make sure the jokes are funny! They don’t have to be laughing out loud--it’s possible for jokes to be hilarious without warranting an outward reaction--but as long as it makes them smirk at their book or perhaps let out a puff of air through their nose, it’s all worth it!

6. Read, Watch, and Listen!

The best way to learn how to write humor is to read, watch, and listen to humor. Look at comedians, at jokes in your favorite novels and TV shows:

What do they all have in common? What is it about them that really makes you laugh? How can you embody that in your story?

A little research never hurt anyone, and hey, maybe you might be able to improve your own sense of humor while you’re at it!

Hope this helped, and good luck!

#writing #writing tips #writing advice #writing help #writeblr #booklr #humor #funny #writing humor #comedy #jokes #tips for writing #writers #writer #creative writing #story writing #long post

[deardragonbook]

The reason to kill off a character

So, before going to the actual advice I just want to say, thank you so much for all the attention that my post on making a character death heartbreaking got! That post actually got reposted on Instagram by an account much bigger than me (they credited me so that’s actually really cool!) not sure if that’s where you all came from or just a coincidence, but I’m happy you’re here. 

Now, that repost on Instagram got a lot of attention and among all the comments something I did see a bit off, was people asking why authors do this, so I thought for today it’d be cool to actually go over some of those reasons. 

1.- The first and most obvious is tension management. In a story tension depends on the existence of the possibility of failure, in a lot of genres this could mean a couple not getting together, the protagonist not getting the job they want or a villain winning. In fantasy, we often find ourselves in life or death situations, and if character’s never die, life or death situations completely lose that tension. This is especially true with longer series with several books. 

So sometimes, as saddening as it may be, you have to make the choice to sacrifice a character for tension sake. But why put in an effort o make it as sad as possible? Well, by making the death an impactful one, you can get away with killing less characters. 

A good example of this is actually Harry Potter, everyone says loads of character’s die in Harry Potter, but that’s not entirely true, loads of characters die in the final book, so for the sake of this example, pretend the final book doesn’t exist please, thank you. Up until the the Half Blood Prince, there are only THREE important character deaths! Cedric, Sirius and Dumbledore (I obviously am not counting minor characters, mentions of muggles dying, ghosts, Harry’s parents, although I was tempted to throw Aragog into here). That’s not many deaths for six books. But they were all hard hitting impactful deaths, that carried the tension with only one character sacrificed for the sake of many. 

So as a writer, remember it’s quality and not quantity. 

2.- Character arcs and development. There’s two sides to this: 

2.a.- Vengeance and mourning can be very powerful character motivations, they can make someone switch very quick. You got a character that always plays by the rules, always cautious and careful, kill of their friend, their family and watch how emotion can blind their judgement. They can switch sides, they can switch methods, they can change goals and form an entire new side! Everybody reacts different to grief, and you do need to be very cautious with this, lots of people have done this wrong, but so many have done this right! 

Everyone talks about redemption arcs, love to see it, but a hero gone villain can be just as good when done correctly! 

2.b.- Smaller changes. Some people don’t react suddenly, some people handle death surprisingly well, but someone close to you dying is something that will always be with you, and affect you. I think a good example of smaller changes, is when you have a say a team, and one of the members die and the remaining members have to take on the responsibilities that this person had. 

If the person who died was, say, the one giving motivational speeches before each battle, when the next battle comes and there is silence, it’s very likely a different character will take up that responsibility, showing a side of them we hadn’t seen before. 

3.- Plot reason. When I think of character’s dying over the plot, I usually think dead parents who died before the book even begins. You know, every Disney parent ever. But other examples could be villains who die or a king who dies leaving his son/daughter/next in line to rule. I don’t think it’s as important that these be sad, it depends very much on the character and on the author’s intent. 

This is probably the area where personally I use the connection card, especially if the death happens before the book begins, it’s not sad per say, but you might feel empathy towards the character’s left behind and their soft words of remembrance. 

4.- Just, emotions. The whole point of writing is to tell a story, the whole point of stories is to make us feel things. And a happy ending is only amplified by the struggles that got us there. A character dying for something they believe it can be heartbreaking in the moment sad, but when that thing they believed in comes to fruition, the fact so many gave so much to get it, makes it feel so much more important! 

Anyway, so those are my big four reasons to kill characters off. There are probably loads more reason out there, maybe you’re just writing angst, maybe you’re writing Game of Thrones, maybe you just created far too many character’s and it’s time to clean up! No judgement here, but I hope this helps newer authors who don’t entirely understand the reasons behind these decisions. 

I recently created a link tree so check that out for all my socials and my book! 

Some upcoming posts I have in the drafts are: 

Things that make character deaths heartbreaking (part 2) 

Relationship drama without the constant arguing 

How I do Timelines 

How I do Fantasy Maps 

So if any of that sounds interesting feel free to follow! I also have asks open if you want help with any specific aspects! I’m always happy to help! 

#writers on tumblr #writing #writer #writing advice #how I write #writing tips #writeblr #writing tricks #authors #author #how to write #advice #fantasy #writing help #character #character death #resource

[nanowrimo]

My First NaNo Experience

As Camp NaNoWriMo is drawing to an end, author and NaNoWriMo winner, MenteMelan, reflects upon her first NaNo experience, and gives some tips to people who might not have joined this time, but plan to in the future. 

Excitement. Joy. Fear. Apprehension.

These are some of the numerous emotions I experienced a few days before the 2021 NaNoWriMo began. After weeks of prewriting, seminars, and strategizing, I eagerly sharpened my pencils and cleared my workspace as I awaited the beginning of the 50,000-word challenge.

I first heard about NaNoWriMo during the pandemic in 2020. Before then, I had participated in several writing challenges, written a few short stories, and produced the first draft of a novel. I was psyched by the challenge the NaNoWriMo proposed. 

Since I stumbled upon the creative writing challenge several days after it began, I decided to bid my time and participate in 2021. However, I never anticipated any of the things that occurred in the months preceding the NaNoWriMo.

As the lockdown restrictions gradually eased last year, the world slowly tried to heal from the turbulence which occurred in 2020. Like many others, I struggled to adjust for several months and was forced to come to terms with the fact that the world could never be the same. 

I have never been a big fan of change, so as you can imagine, I battled with so many emotions, never finding the right avenue to vent everything I’d been feeling. For me, the 2021 NaNoWriMo was highly therapeutic. I can still remember how I picked up my laptop on the first day and poured out all the pent-up emotions I had experienced during the year into the different characters I had crafted. 

By the end of the first day, I’d written about 3000 words, albeit with several typos and sentences that eventually needed fine tuning. However, none of that mattered. For the first time in months, I felt relieved. The moment I updated my profile and earned my first badge, it felt like I’d just won a million bucks!

Each day came with a different challenge and every second of it was fantastic. The goal wasn’t to create the perfect novel in 30 days but was to create an undiluted first draft, knowing I would still refine it all at the end. As I unlock each badge, I felt fulfilled and excited, waiting to see how long it would take to finally hit my goal. 

On the last day of the NaNoWriMo, I finally hit 50K words and unlocked my winner’s badge. I can honestly say no words can describe how amazing I felt that day.

Experiencing the joy that comes with being able to meet a challenge head-on is something I believe everyone deserves to feel during their lifetime. Although, there will be moments where the thrill of the chase might fade, and your characters might not speak to you as frequently as they used to. 

To overcome this, my advice would be to surround yourself with fellow writers who share the same goal and vision. If you can’t think of anyone who might be interested in the journey, then you’re welcome to join any of the NaNo regions. You’d receive a lot of support and encouragement from fellow writers and get chances to vet your work.

Finally, always remember you can edit it later. It’s your first draft, so it’s not meant to be perfect. It’s pretty easy to edit the first draft but impossible to edit what you’ve never written.

Enjoy every second of the challenge and take pride in what you’re doing. By deciding to participate in the NaNo, you’re already a winner. So, my fellow writers, sharpen your pencils, raise your pens, clean your typewriters, charge your laptops, and let the creative juices flow!

MenteMelan is a diverse award-winning African writer who believes in communicating her views and perspectives of the world through her books. It helps her foster connections with people across the world, create communities with kindred souls, and spread awareness about mental health.

Link to books: Imprisoned by Secrets: https://www.wattpad.com/story/236039980 The Prophecy of The Black Day: https://www.wattpad.com/story/247485109 The Last Supper: https://www.wattpad.com/story/245502550 Social Media: Instagram: @mentemelan Wattpad: @MenteMelan

Photo by Ilya Pavlov on Unsplash  

#camp nano #by nano guest #writing #nanowrimo #mentemelan #nanowrimo experience

[helpinghanikan]

Sleeping arrangements

Avengers (and Matt Murdock x Reader)

Sum:  It's late and the bed is so nice. It's time to sleep and to bring your heroes along with you. (Fluffy little snippets of sleepy time with the Avengers)

Steve Rogers:

It’s the last train home and only one thing in this world is warm. The wall of Steve Rogers your head rested against was beating softly through the jacket and shirt he wore. Keeping your arms around his center to keep any of the heat from getting away. His own arm protects around your shoulders, keeping you in and gibing his hand something to do instead.

He could’ve driven, he should’ve driven, instead he wanted to take the train. He wanted to walk around like he did years and years before, but this time with your hands intertwined.

Although far away the train has started to shake the earth. Taking you out of the almost sleeping world and back into this cold one. The change in worlds brings out a yawn and lets the cold back in. It’s been a long day. With your eyes closed and clothes heavier than they could ever be Steve was the only thing keeping you up. His chin rests on your head after a while, thumb rubbing over your shoulder as the train finally pulled to a stop.

Inside it was the same story but in a seated position. Guided into his lap and landing with a groan as it was just so much work. The practically empty strain allowed your legs to stretched straight out over the seats.

Steve could stay awake longer than most, but he was tired. He was cold and annoyed and really wished he had driven instead of taking this stupid train. He took his frustration out on squeezing you tight, holding on as if you were liable to fall right out of the seat if he let go. At least it was warmer inside the train.

Tony Stark:

Someone staying up late, not getting enough sleep, and making exhaustion their personality trait is funny for maybe week. But After days of trying to coax him to come to bed, to try something other than just giving up on sleep or even talking to a doctor it gets concerning. After weeks of these same issues, it becomes frustrating.

Everyone, from Pepper to Peter have done their fair share of lecturing. Happy has gone out of his way in helping you get the dumbass to appointments. All of which he has walked right out because, unfortunately, he was still an adult who could make his own decisions.

It’s only after using the nuclear word that he pays attention.

“Anthony,” You say just before he leaves the room.

Although speaking to his back he does stop. His shoulders have tensed under the t-shirt and he’s listening in.

There’s an audio book’s worth of things you could say about this issue. But it would all be a repeat that he’s heard before, from many different mouths. Instead, you kept it simple, not even bothering to turn on the light.

“You didn’t even try.” It comes out from a tired partner just wanting the best for him. Yet Tony walks away from the advice, again.

Thor:

Power doesn’t stop for sleep. It’s still in the air when he’s laying sideways towards the window. Because of the whole nighttime thing it’s hard to tell if clouds are actually coming in or darkening. Maybe you’re just insane but Mr. Weatherman didn’t say anything about rain tonight, right?

It was a jolt that really woke you up. Looking over your shoulder at the expanse of muscular back. Thor movements were always a bit too…loud for this world. Whether running through a fight or moving in his sleep it calls attention to everyone. He doesn’t mean to, but it does wake you up enough to see your glass is dryer as a bone.

As if reading your mind, the rain has come down. It could almost be described as torrential how hard it was all coming down. Matching the dramatics of rain, a lightning strike coming straight down into some poor tree.

This wasn’t the first time Thor had a nightmare. Asgardians just seemed to be humans 2.0, making Thor just as a victim to horror as we humans are. At the same time, he was still another worldly being, translating to giving him a few feet when waking him up.

Another strike of lightening and another tree is taken out of this world. Without the lights on that blast was your only moment of lightening. The rest of the journey made to Thor’s side of the bed was done in darkness and pounding rain. Following the outlined Asgardian until reaching his shoulder. A gentle hand on his should does nothing. A little shake and a whispered “Thor,” finally does the trick.

The two strikes of lightening outside somehow reached his eyes. For the briefest of seconds blue, cracking energy is directed right at you. Stopping just as quickly as they appeared, replaced with Thor’s regular blue eyes that blink a few times.

“What is it?” he asks.

There’s no point in telling him the truth about his nightmares and their effect. Then again, there’s no point in lying either. Instead, it’s better to distract. “It’s still super early. Back to bed.” You say instead, kissing with until he takes the hit and holds you.

Bucky Barnes:

Sleep is a luxury that isn’t worth chasing. With the pillows and sheets there were nightmares and enemies that could sense his weakness. Trying to get at least six hours and all that guarantees is waking up sweaty and a call to doc, making sure to get everything back in order before you could ever notice.

Instead, he takes walks. Maps out the city at night, the changes and differences that happened without him. He recognizes the buildings, the structures and bricks that were too strong to be a victim to time.

Most of the time he does this alone. Watching a show about nothing until you were asleep before starting his walk. But there were times you catch him, calling out to him like the neighborhood cat trying to get away. Getting on your own shoes and jacket quickly. Then enforcing the handholding during the little adventure.

It’s only when passing by something important that words are shared. “One of my buddies worked here when this place was a mechanic. Broke his leg just before the draft, I still think it was on purpose.” He’d say then never bring it up again.

These walks are always shorter than most. After two times Bucky learned when to make the loop back home with you. When your building comes back into view the handholding has gotten sweaty. The walking had slowed to a crawl and you were dragging him down by the arm. Even less talking was done after getting through the door; just landing face down onto the bed without bothering about the shoes.

These kind of walks were Bucky’ favorite.

Natasha Romanoff:

The bed was used almost exclusively for sleeping. As the couch was both comfy and expensive. And, as Nat puts it, “Should we do it with the lights off too? Under the covers like grandparents?” Although it was probably another reason to use the overpriced couch more often.

Like any good, and overworked, soldier Nat could sleep anywhere. When a mission is done, and there’s nothing to worry about, a shower and a nap is the best in the world.

“I smell nice,” She says walking into the living after the shower. Steam still behind her, hair wrapped up and a sweater purposefully bought to be several sizes too big.

She stretches and lays over you like a cat. Resting as close as possible so you, too, can smell the expensive shampoo she uses. Making sure that the body wash isn’t ignored either as that, too, was expensive.

“Might as well spend this pay on something,” She says when asked about the prices.

Although she asks what you’re up to she won’t be awake for the answer. Already teetering into sleep land when you answer.

Natasha was as athletic as she was heavy. Only sometimes managing to carry her bridal style and most of the time having to walk/guide her into the bedroom. Either letting her drop onto the bed with the same weight you had carried in, or she holds fast and takes you down with her.

Just like a cat, Natasha gets to decide cuddle time.

T’challa:

Although the mattress was new, the bed’s size was traditional, and passed on through generations of rulers. Forget California king bed, A Wakanda king bed was that and a half. Ten feet length, twelve feet tall. Combined with blankets, pillows and more it was easy to disappear into the thing. But it was also easy to get lost in it all.

In the middle of the night, in the very center of this ocean of bed, you can reach out forever. Finding pillows (both the decorative and the usable kind), smaller blankets or stuffed animals that have managed to be added. But it’s a tiresome journey, one that doesn’t seem to have an end even as you stretched to pointed toes and fingers.

It’s only after touching body heat that you can relax. Finally finding your king that turns to your touch. Making his own journey through sheets and bedding. Using you as the trail into his love. Neither of you thinking about the absolute nightmare it will be to make this bed tomorrow.

Pietro Maximoff:

For most of his life Pietro is moving. Be it running or just running his mouth, he’s not the kind of guy to sit still. Unfortunately, this also applies to sleeping.

“He’s been sleep walking since we were children,” Wanda once said. “Our father once found him crying in a puddle. He had slipped and woken up in the street. He’ll deny crying, though.”

As an adult Pietro doesn’t actively get up and walk around anymore. The man made up of strong and lean muscle still moves quite a bit. Waking up from freezing feet finding yours or because he’s sat upright in bed again. Using soft, but firm, pressure to get him to lay back down or to guide him back to his side of the bed. If you weren’t careful his arms would find you, almost dragging you back to his side of the bed.

He'd deny it in the morning. Smiling with barely open eyes as you’re still pressed against him. No matter how much you’re going to insist this was his fault he’d still mock you. Nuzzling in since you insist on cuddling so much.

Peter Parker:

There’s a time limit next when sitting next to Peter. You have ten minutes before his head finds your shoulder. If you don’t shrug or lean away he’ll stay there, slowly leaning in until he’s all settled.

Although not completely asleep he does rest. If your hands are held in those moments you could probably feel his pulse slow down as his breathing slows. Maybe his eyes manage to stay open, but his eyes do get heavy. Someone could say his name, and he’d respond, but it be from his throat. An annoyed groan directed to whoever was ruining this moment. Even if it was usually a teacher or adult.

It’s only when traveling, and you’re sitting for a while, that he completely falls asleep. Progressing past just leaning his head and adding his arms. If you allow him, putting an arm around your back and the other over your center. With your own arm over his back, he sleeps in a position that, although sweet, always left a pain in his neck. Something he’d complain about until you ask if he want’s you to rub his shoulders.

Stephen Strange:

During aura projection Stephen’s body is dead weight. No muscles or bone working with the individual trying to help them. It’s just taken over by gravity and his entire weight wants to be on the floor. Sleep does the same thing.

Short of a bucket of water to his face he won’t wake up. Part of his experience in med school was taking every bit of use sleep could give him. Which leads to sleeping fast, and sleeping hard, usually opened mouth. No snoring yet, but the moment he does there’s an open target for shutting him up.

Matt Murdock:

It’s a mixture of meditation and caffeine that he is still functioning. Too busy, much too busy, as a lawyer for the two of you to share a bed most of the time. Making any comments you have about his sleep schedule mute.

Watching him doesn’t change give any information either. Coffee in the morning, some deep breathing and self-centering in the between moments at work, and sleep ins on days off were all you could gather. Between that it’s easier to just assume he’s fine.

Just laugh at his “not like I need to rest my eyes,” jokes and move on.

Carol Danvers:

After going through every time change known to man, alien and beyond Carol has developed a very specific still. Carol Danvers, woman with the power of a star and to sleep literally anywhere at any time. Be it a cleared-out corner of some ship, an open floor that keeps her hidden from passersby or on your lap. The latter being her personal favorite.

Like a massive golden retriever, she wants to be in the middle of your lap. Close as possible with a arm holding around your shoulder and the other on her toy, or phone.  A being of wiry muscle and heat keeping you pinned to the couch. Most of the time she’s out ten minutes into the movie, most of the time the remotes’ out of reach, and most of the time you gotta go pee.

#Fluff #fluffy #little angst #cuddling #reader insert #captain america x reader #captain marvel x reader #carol danvers x reader #matt murdock x reader #daredevil x reader #stephen strange x reader #peter parker x reader #peter parker imagine #spiderman x reader #pietro maximoff x reader #quicksilver x reader #black panther x reader #t'challa x reader #natasha romanoff x reader #black widow x reader #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barns x reader #steve rogers x reader #tony stark x reader #iron man x reader #oneshot #marvel #marvel imagine #i'm sleepy

[dropofgoldensun]

omg hiiiii i am here from cat (@luvdsc) wondering if you could offer any advice about college apps 🙏 especially about the uc piqs? thank you so much i hope ur doing well!!!!!!!!

yes yes hello friend !! 💝 miss cat directed you to me because i did my college apps last year !!! (yikes one year passed already?? why does that feel ages ago 🤧)

first of all, congratulations on making the decision to apply to college !! i know it’s been hard for a lot of people our age to figure out the college situation recently, so i’m proud of you for choosing to take the extra step this summer to buckle up and write those essays 💞

i’ve compiled a few tips on answering the PIQs (i was actually in the middle of typing this up when i received your ask haha), but some of them can be applied to other essays, as well !! they’re all under the cut (because, unfortunately, being brief is not my forte) 😊

(and for reference, the prompts i chose were #2 (creativity), #6 (subject), #7 (community), and #8 (anything) !!)

tip #1: understand the prompt.

before you even begin writing, it’s important to understand what the question is really asking. for the UC PIQs, this will look different depending on which four prompts you decide to do.

in question one, for example, they want to know about your skills in leading others, but notice that they’re also curious about your resolution abilities and teamwork experience. or in question two, they don’t want to know that you paint and that you love painting—they could be asking how resourceful you are, how you think outside the box when you have an idea.

once you know the question you’re going to be answering, you can move on to brainstorming!

tip #2: write down three (3) key takeaways.

these are like the most basic, not-even-a-sentence answers you would give to each question. so for me, in response to question eight (“what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for the UCs?”), my answers were perseverance, courage, and character. i had a story about that, so i wrote about my experience with martial arts.

i recommend you do something similar. decide on three things that you want to communicate to your audience, and write them in the footnote of your document. your goal is to cover all three points so that, if anyone were to read your essay, they would walk away understanding those three things about you.

i found this strategy really helpful for keeping my essay streamlined while writing—if a sentence didn’t relate to any of those main points, i would cut it since those words would take up valuable space in the word count. stay focused on what needs to be in this essay, and if you have extra words left in the word count later, you can add those details back in.

and once you’re done with your essay, make sure to refer back to your takeaways and check that you covered all of them sufficiently!

tip #3: highlight your stories.

i sent cat an ask a couple days ago with a few pictures of my response to an end-of-year college counseling survey that referenced this tip (you can find it here). basically i said that, when choosing what topics to write about, pick things that interest you! if you get excited talking about it, your audience should get excited about reading it, because they’ll pick up on the passions you have and then everyone’s excited !!! :D

i’ll tell you a secret: everyone you meet, everyone you see, has countless unique experiences that few others may have. me? i spend hours making mashups out of kpop songs. i earned my black belt years after a traumatizing experience during training. i get russian harry potter and spanish dr. seuss books from the library. and i created a collaborative online google photos album for my classmates that now has thousands of entries. although these aren’t necessarily unique to only me, they’re still special enough to the point where, when you put them all together, you get a better image of the person i am, and what i value.

so find a story, a habit, a hobby that makes you different, because i believe that everyone has them. give them some food for thought, or that one-liner that sticks in their brain and won’t go away. and remember: these stories don’t all have to be extraordinary—they should be about people or moments of special value to you, because that’s what matters.

personal tip: when i was brainstorming ideas, i decided that the best way to get ideas out there was to go on a rant (because sometimes it helps to just have a conversation with yourself !!) and i recorded myself, so i could replay what i said !! this was so so crucial to me finding my own voice for writing essays. notice the way you word things when you talk—a good line or two may make it into the final draft :)

i found it helpful to read sample essays as well! they give a lot of great ideas on the kinds of topics people write about. (also, it’s kind of fun, because who doesn’t love a good story?)

but the people reading your essay won’t be there to just enjoy your story; what they really want you to do is to tell them what you learned from your experience. they want to know whether you’re teachable and willing to grow both as a student and as a young adult. so make sure to take note of the life lessons you learned, experience you gained, character you built, etc.

minor tip on ending your essay: if you’re telling a story that happened in the past, then close with what you learned and how you can apply that to your life moving forward. if you’re telling a story that has no definite end yet (like a passion or dream you have), you probably don’t have everything figured out (and you can say that in your essay!), so it might be better to close with your hopes for the future.

tip #4: ask your family for help.

peer-editing is one of the most effective ways to detect errors and inconsistencies in your writing, because, after staring at your essay for so long, you might gloss over glaring contradictions. for all of my essays, i printed them out and asked my parents to help me revise them. we’d meet every other night (or every night, depending on how much time was left) to review and discuss improvements.

i actually kept some of those printed drafts (only the first and the final ones for comparison), and let me tell you from experience—you’re probably going to have a lot of drafts (i think the most i did was seven? but you don’t need to go that far!). this part of the process does take some time, so remember to be patient and kind to yourself :) these essays won’t happen overnight!

enlisting the help of others also helps keep you accountable. one of the struggles many seniors face while writing essays is just... setting aside time to do them. and even though the constant reminders from your parents will definitely get repetitive and a bit stress-inducing, i can tell you from personal experience that i’m so glad they did; otherwise, i don’t think i’d have my essays done in time :’)

while writing college essays is challenging, your family will be there supporting you each step of the way. chances are that they’ll have their own pointers to pass on to you, since they probably remember doing this process themselves! and, out of everyone in your life, they probably remember the most about you (because you probably don’t remember much when you were four or five), so they might have a couple starter ideas for topics when brainstorming. you can rely on them for their advice and their experience.

tip #5: self-editing.

here’s the part that takes the longest time.

use action words. this is probably something you’ve heard all throughout elementary school where they didn’t like you to say “said” because it was “boring”… but honestly, the difference between “doing my own version” and “infusing it with my personality” could go a long way. also, use words that you would actually use in an essay—then it’ll have your own special flair, and not sound like it’s taken from some stuffy 80s textbook!

here are some of the words i used (once again, you shouldn’t use these words if they don’t sound like something you’d write/say): potential, overlay, wrestle, launch, analogous, weave, infuse, experiment, outlet, revel, fascinate, satisfaction, pursue, expand, distinction, capture, range, archive, engage, beyond, build, adversity, cultivate, preserve, commit, explore, convey, naturally

also, be on the lookout for repeated words. i once wrote an essay without noticing that i used “hope” three times in the same paragraph. don’t do that! use synonyms :) personally, i tended to run short on synonyms, so i always kept a tab or two open on my computer reserved for searching up new words.

side note: unfortunately, during my search for synonyms, i discovered that thesaurus.com just didn’t give me what i was looking for. i highly recommend using wordhippo instead; it has so many more options and they’re grouped by the different definitions of your word! i found the synonyms i needed really quickly and it was very satisfying!

avoid the passive voice! my teacher gave me this tip for theses or any other college-level writing. here’s an example of the passive voice: “there was a large part of me that wanted to turn back.” that’s twelve words taking up precious space in your word count! instead, say something like, “i considered turning back.” you’ve just freed up eight words :)

tip #6: final revisions.

this is the step where you fine-tune your essays. meet that word count.

read your writing out loud. does it sound like you? it should. every writer has a different voice, and you need to ensure that yours is pervasive throughout your essay. feel free to use contractions—not only do they reduce your word count (this was a good thing for me, since i had a problem with getting under 350 words), but they also give a more casual tone to your essay, as if you’re telling a story to someone in the room.

next, pretend to be an admissions officer and have someone else read your essay to you. do you get excited hearing about this student who shares your name? if you do, there’s a good chance the real admissions officers will love your essays, too. this also gives you a chance to review to your essay as a whole. pay attention to the overall flow. is there a clear beginning and end? do you resolve the issues and overcome the trials you brought up? listen to it as if it’s a story, and take this time to enjoy what you’ve written. you worked hard!

final thoughts / encouragements.

oh my goodness, did we make it to the end? honestly if you did, thank you so much 🥺

okay but despite my relatively optimistic tone throughout this post, i’m still going to be honest with you—the college essay writing process is difficult. it requires you to look inside yourself and analyze the “why” behind some of the things that you love, and that isn’t easy to do at all. it’s intellectually and emotionally challenging, because not only do you need to use so much energy writing, but you also have to dig deeper to understand yourself, and that’s not easy, either.

but i wanted to encourage you, too. no matter what you may think of yourself at 12am, 2am, 4am writing these essays, believe you have a personality that others love and will love when they meet you. you are an interesting person with unique experiences who deserves to share your thoughts with others. you have so many people behind you, supporting you during these next few months. and when you find that you can’t write any more, remember to take time to care for yourself. have a warm shower. go to bed early. i could go on and on about why sleep is good for your brain but i’ll spare you the details in this post 😉

one last thing: keep the bigger picture in focus. remember, by december or january, you will be finished with most of the application process. that’s no small accomplishment. you can do it. 💝

i really hope you found tips that you were looking for, and that they’re applicable to your own PIQs and other essays !! if you have any other questions, feel free to send in another ask (i promise my response won’t be this lengthy LOL) 💘💓

oh, and if you feel comfortable enough reaching out about anything in particular, i’m only a DM away 💕 i wish you the best of luck on writing your essays and i hope you enjoy your final year of high school !! 💗🌸💟💖

#asks #college tips