#ETA part 2: i am def not calling /myself/ a Great Writer lmao

[cheapthrillsbeca]

Hejyy long time listener first time caller here! Do you have writing Advice for someone just getting into fanfic writing? With no Creative Writing background at all

hi! haha love the radio lingo

oh gosh, let's see i'll rattle off some thoughts stream-of-consciousness

consider getting a beta reader. i feel like this isn't done much anymore, but for new writers a beta can be super helpful. i had several amazing betas at the start of my fic writing career!

focus on the basics. vary your sentence structure and length (creates better flow). keep an eye on tense (pick one and stick with it). watch out for run-on or incomplete sentences (unless it's a stylistic choice). don't use multiple words to say something you could say in one (e.g. "ran really fast" instead of "sprinted"). eventually all of this will become second nature, but at first it's a conscious process.

show, don't tell. avoid exposition in favor of showing a character's feelings/motivation through their actions. e.g. instead of writing "beca was angry" you could say she gritted her teeth or crossed her arms or glared at someone. show her being angry rather than telling the reader how she feels. writing this way is more engaging and helps the reader envision your scenes.

take the time to think about characterization. how would each character react in the situation you're putting them in? what motivates them? how would they express their feelings? this is another one of those things that will become easier over time, but at first will take some intention as you're crafting your story.

have fun with dialogue! i love writing and reading dialogue. it's a great way to keep a story moving and infuse it with personality. i think they key from a writing perspective is to make sure you have an understanding of each character's manner of speaking. if you're not sure, watch some clips from the movies to listen to their cadence, word choice, tone, etc. then try to replicate it.

remember that 'said' is not dead. as a rule of thumb, attribute quotes with said/says unless there's a strong reason not to. said/says fades into the background, while other quote attributions (muttered, stated, exclaimed, shouted, etc.) stand out. overusing them can be distracting to the reader.

stay consistent with perspective. who's point of view are you telling the story from? pick a character and stick with it. if your story is from beca's pov keep in mind that she doesn't know the inner workings of other characters' minds -- that's where showing (not telling) comes in. if you do want to include multiple perspectives in a fic just make sure to stick to one per scene -- otherwise it's too confusing.

epithets... it's common for newer writers to use epithets (the brunette, the younger woman, etc) but it's definitely avoidable, if you'd like to avoid using them. wait i totally answered an ask ab this! read that :)

plot your story before you start. lol i'm clearly not a plot-centric writer bc this is the last thing on my list (bc omg i have to get back to work). but have a plan of the main points you want to hit before getting started -- it'll save you a headache!

okay hope this was helpful! also like, just have fun. if you hate using "said" and you love epithets, then go nuts and do what makes you happy. this is all based on my preferences. writing fanfic should be fun, above all else. good luck!