#I didn't write a 300k+ word thing until I was 23

[dracomeir]

I've been reading your series funkin adventures and I was wondering how you wrote something that long. Over 300k is an insane amount I can only dream of doing.

omg thank you for reading whatever you read so far. :D

tl;dr of how I did so is basically to not care about being judged by others. As long as you laugh, cry, get mad, or whatever other emotion is felt while reading what you write, then it's good enough. It doesn't have to be perfect, or on the same level as a best selling author. Just do you.

Long explanation below

For better context, I didn't start posting weekly for Funkin' Adventures until I was almost finished writing chapter 15 of the Hell's Dynasty arc. That's 34 chapters with no one besides me giggling, kicking my feet, crying, and laughing at my story. 135,289/347,522 words for the series at the time. (Yes, I checked the word count for that point. lmao) I wrote for myself, and no one else. That's the main reason why I was able to write such a long story with multiple arcs to it. I didn't let the fear of no one else enjoying the story prevent me from writing. As long as I loved reading it, then that was good enough. As long as I laughed and cried at the points where I hope others will too, then it's good enough. You have to settle with good enough because striving for perfection will only lead you to disappointment. Aiming for perfection will lead you to an endless cycle of this isn't good enough, I have to redo it, this is trash, no one will like it, etc, and you'll quickly find yourself unable to post anything at all.

Another reason I'm able to write so much is that I don't let others dictate what I should write. Every story I've written is me venting whether the reader realizes it or not. I write what I want to write, not what others wishes for me to write. It's my story after all, not theirs. I've seen writers take the neat idea of a commenter, work it into their story, and end up hating what the fic has become to the point they give up on their narrative. The story ends up something they no longer wanted it to be, and that's something I try to avoid. I love the ideas others have when it comes to my fics, and it's great if we end up having the same thoughts, but I never let their comments affect my narrative. It's my story to tell. Stories based on my life experiences that I want to tell others in the hopes that maybe they'll learn something from me.

Which brings me to my next point, use what you experienced so far in life to help you write your story. You don't have to create something entirely unique and original. That's impossible to do in this day and age with how many people there are in this world. The reader doesn't have to know if the story is based on your life somehow. I only say things like that in fics like Cyber Connection (based on my experiences as an autistic/selectively mute person), or Drowning in Ecstasy (based on my experience as a paranoid individual with trust issues) since I'm comfortable with others knowing that. The point of creating fanfiction for me is to make something for others to look forward to. As someone who's been dealing with Persistent Depressive Disorder for over a decade of my life, having that weekly or so chapter to look forward to can be enough to keep someone going. That's my purpose in life at this point. (Oh, look. One of the themes in my current on-going fic. Hahaha...)

This is getting long at this point, and it's probably not the answer you were seeking at all, so I'll end it with this. Try not to care so much about the numbers. Some people read something, and forget to hit kudos. (I do this sometimes, and I'm sorry. 😭) Some people don't have the courage to post a comment. Some people are simply lurkers enjoying their fandom, and that's perfectly fine. I used to be like that. Now I'm a part of the fandom I'm in, and I honestly don't see it changing anytime soon.