#currently beating writers block with a stick

[comicaurora]

I'm not a writer whatsoever and am currently listening to the OSPod Publishing special, and was really intruiged by your description of your character-driven stories as being similar to a DnD campaign. Could you please elaborate a bit on what you mean by "it's good when the characters surprise you"? It's likely an obvious writer thing, but I would've thought that an author wouldn't be surprised by where their story or characters go since, well, they're the one writing it. Regardless the comic is amazing so however confusing your process may be to me personally it's clearly effective

It's a little bit difficult to explain!

A lot of the writing process is just sitting down and writing it - laying out the setpieces, describing what the characters do, writing and tweaking the dialogue for impact. But in my experience, the vast majority of the REAL writing process happens internally, and large chunks of it are out of conscious reach of the writer. This unreachable space is where new ideas form, and why no writer has ever been able to answer the question "where do you get your ideas from?"

This is why a writer can beat their head against writers block for weeks at a time, then wake up one day with a solution and the entire next chunk of storyline fully formed. My dad calls this phenomenon "the better writer in the back of your head." A lot of the creative process doesn't happen in the front of your mind, where your ego and your inner voice live. Most of it is deeper down. This is how your mind is capable of surprising you in any context, including dreams or unexpected emotional reactions - your mind is a lot larger than just the parts you can consciously feel.

When I put a character in a situation, I can make a conscious decision for what they'll do and then execute it, but I can also listen for ideas bubbling out of that inaccessible region of my mind. Most character ideas start out as a small set of conscious decisions on the part of the writer - "I'll make him a classical hero with a strong sense of justice" or "she'll be a strong but weary leader putting on a brave face" or "I'm playing an edgy rogue with a dark past" etc etc, quick and basic elevator pitches. But the characters come alive when they're allowed to grow down into the inaccessible parts of the mind, where consciousness gives way to emotions bubbling up from even deeper processes. Once the characters are allowed to start feeling things about their story - like "maybe that classical hero doesn't actually feel great about the lord they serve" or "the weary leader has an endless wellspring of vengeful rage to keep her going when she falters," more creative ideas for their next move start bubbling up. Things that don't flow logically from their elevator pitch, but make sense for the character that grows out of that pitch as they're allowed to engage with the world and story around them.

The way I build characters puts a focus on how they're feeling in any given situation, which is completely separate from what I, the writer of the plot, need them to do to move the plot in the direction I was planning. So sometimes I'll be writing something, and a little bubble of inspiration will pop up and let me know that, unexpectedly, this situation is really getting to one of the characters. And I can choose to keep them on track, or I can let their internal compass take over and see what makes the most sense to them at that moment of the story.

Characters are not real people, and they aren't as large or complex as a human mind, but in my experience, if you build a character solidly enough and give yourself room to play, they will grow down into your subconscious wellspring of creativity, and your mind will volunteer ideas to you using their voice. You don't need to use them, but it's very useful to cultivate them, because sometimes those ideas are better than anything you could consciously stick together in the public-spacing front of your mind.

[sealofarchives]

Oneshot scenario: Pocky Game

Prompt: The scenario of a pocky game at the lair. (separate)

This was one of my prompts from wattpad while struggling with writer's block. And its a drastic change from the early drafts.

Warnings: None. Just mostly towards light teasing fluff

Cookies & Cream

You placed your pencil down, somewhat satisfied with the current progress of your assignment from class. Well, mostly due to a certain softshell turtle's help as you sat in one of the rolling chairs inside the lab.

Donnie made a slight exception to the usual rule of 'no food or drinks' just only for today. Since you brought over a pocky box to share with him. With your additional reason of a snack for in between breaks. You briefly glanced over his shoulder as he lightly bit into the treat. Still checking on the turtle tank's cameras from his laptop. Making sure there's no technical issues that could jeopardize everyone's safety.

It only took him a few seconds to notice one of the monitor screens' reflection. Catching a glimpse of you staring at him.

"Is there something on my face-"

You pulled your seat, grabbing the pocky box and held it out towards him as you spoke.

"N-no, just wondering if you wanted another one?!"

You immediately froze.

.

..

...

Seeing how there was only one piece left in the box.

Your heart fluttered as Donnie slowly smirked.

"I'm willing to assist you on future assignments for the next few months. That is, if you win at a pocky game."

Donnie taking the sweet treat out of the box. As his mouth held on to one side of the pocky stick. He patiently waited while you internally let out a defeated sigh. Your mouth now on the other side of the biscuit treat.

He silently observed you taking small bites barely inching towards him. Along with the blush beginning to deepen on your face as you tried to focus on something behind him.

Your shoulders tensed up, startled at him moving close to your face.

.

..

...

The pocky stick softly snapped as his lips lightly pressed onto yours. Donnie pulled away chewing his half of the treat as he spoke.

"You sure you didn't lose on purpose." He couldn't help saying that in a teasing tone perching his elbow on the chair's armrest.

You shrank in your seat with a gulp of what remains of the dessert. The blush on your face quickly turning to embarrassment while you gently tugged the hem of your jacket.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that you were going to tease me over the last pocky stick."

"Or are you just gonna ignore that kiss as if nothing ever happened..."

The realization dawned on Donnie as he recognized them looking away with a glare holding back tears in their eyes.

"(Y/N)... I had no ill intention regarding the pocky game. I was just curious how you would react to me. Initiating said game in a manner that would help contribute to my inner bad boy image."

"But seeing how it did the opposite, with the results of hurting your feelings. Close to the point of tears, I am genuinely sorry..."

Donnie heard them breathe out through their nose. Now finally looking at him in the eyes.

"You're actually serious about the kiss..."

Blush began to appear his face as the image of his lips pulling away and briefly brushing against their soft face haunted him.

"Yes, its more of the fact that you take the time to listen to my sometimes inane rambling. And if I accidentally push you away because of my stubborn habits, I would deeply regret it..."

He caught sight of your eyes soften at his words. As a half smile from you eased his beating heart.

"I'll sort of take that apology. You never really mentioned what you get for winning the pocky game."

Donnie grumbled as you readjusted a few papers then clipping it to a stapler.

"You'll be on lab assistant duty whenever you visit the lair for the following next month. I'll be nice enough to only proofread a few of your papers in the first week. And only that first week.

"That's fair."

You softly kissing his face almost made him do a double take as you went out to refill your cup. Lightly touching it until you got back.

Strawberry

"Come on (Y/N), there's an extra five bucks with your name on it. If you play the pocky game with me." Leo waved the five one dollar bills in front of your face as you went back to scroll on your phone.

"I don't accept bribes from someone who's gonna be a sore loser about winning." Leo immediately scoffed at your statement as he put away the cash back in his fanny pack.

"I'm past the whole 'winning at any cost' phase. And I'll prove it to you with a pinky swear. As a solemn promise of no cheating."

You were almost surprised at him as he sat across from you. Doing said gesture as his other hand held the pink pocky box.

"Fine, but only one game. No redos or last minute changes."

"Deal!"

After a few seconds, the game began as both of you concentrated on the pocky stick.

However, Leo spotted three turtles with mischievous grins from a safe distance behind you. A tiny bit of sweat trailed down his light blue bandana while trying to keep his laid back demeanor around you.

Part of you slightly kept your guard up but still raised an eyebrow at Leo's sudden contorted smile. He replied through shrugging both of his shoulders. But lost his balance after hearing the sound of a phone camera going off. You instantly caught Leo by grasping his forearms before his shell could hit the floor.

.

..

...

At the cost of an accidental kiss on the lips and both of your faces close together.

Donnie, Raph, and Mikey rushed out of the room just as you pulled away. But, still sat beside the red slider turtle who facepalmed muttering about getting back at his brothers under his breath.

"Do you want to count that as a draw? Or do you want to get back at your brothers for ruining the game?"

Leo shifted his focus on to you as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"You're not gonna question how you accidentally kissed me?" As you shrugged back at him.

"I would have ask if you were okay but knowing you, you would obviously deny it. Still you kept to your promise of no cheating so, I am a bit happy about that."

A tiny bit of blush from your face instantly made Leo smile as he sidehugged you.

"So if any chance we do the pocky game at your place, you'll let me win, right?"

"Don't push your luck."

You lightly tapped his beak taking away the pocky box and munched on a few sticks as your victory prize. He wouldn't admit it but slowly liked it when you tease him.

Chocolate

"Donnie already triple checked that the pocky sticks were safe for you to eat. Even before starting the mini competition of who would eat the most under an hour. Why are you so worried about doing the pocky game with me?"

"Its not that, its just... Raph doesn't want to accidentally bite (Y/N)'s mouth off."

"Raph, you're always careful around me. Almost to the same level of you taking care of your teddy bear plushies." You mentioned 'no offense' as Raph crossed his arms with a defensive reply of 'none taken'.

Donnie pulled a holographic video from his tech wrist.

Surveillance footage of Raph sneaking a box out of the four tin containers.

"There were only thirty five boxes instead of thirty six. I had to replay said footage after seeing this video a few minutes before the competition started."

"And since I won the competition fair and square, you can avoid chore duty only if you play the pocky game with them. Also neither Mikey, Leo, or I will utter a teasing remark until one of you wins."

Before Leo say could say anything, the turtle insignia on his belt instantly activated a sci fi helmet that silenced his words. As he now tried to get the helmet off of his head.

Raph sighed ignoring the startled reactions from both you and Mikey.

A few minutes into the pocky game, the alligator snapping turtle's thoughts were all over the place. The worry of his snaggletooth cutting your lip. Along with Mind Raph at a loss for words just watching the scene play out in a panicked expression.

Despite that, blush began to surface near his red bandana. Now that he got a closer look at your face.

He often hesitated trying to find the right words to compliment your face. Which usually ends with an excuse to avoid an awkward atmosphere. But, your eyes sometimes leaving him speechless.

A sort of comforting presence. Especially not being afraid of a big guy like him.

However, fear took over as he broke the pocky stick before you were a couple inches away from winning.

"I guess Raph lost this one-"

The audible gasps from the two brothers was their response to you kissing Raph. While Leo merely rolled his eyes holding the helmet under his arm.

"You still have a bit of melted chocolate by your lips."

You were carefully holding his face with one of your fingers removing the leftover chocolate. And pulled Raph in to give him another kiss.

Banana

"I didn't know there was banana flavored pocky." Mikey said taking the yellowed colored box from the tin container.

"I mostly see chocolate or strawberry whenever I go grocery shopping. Its probably the fan favorites since there's a day dedicated to it."

"It wouldn't hurt to try a new flavor. After all in some parts of the world, its someone's favorite flavor!"

Mikey was about to bite into the pocky stick but stopped, thinking about something.

"Have you ever tried playing a pocky game?"

"I don't think so but, I'm not a fan of being teased into doing it."

"Most of the anime has a real bad habit of making the pocky game being too close to peer pressure. Like almost trying to make some drama out of it..."

"I remember April skipping part of an anime that did that. She immediately went back to studying because it was that embarrassing to sit through." You heard Mikey replying with a yikes as the conversation came to a halt.

But, you heard a faint whisper from him saying.

("I still think it would be cute just playing the game with you...")

"Cute?" Mikey almost hid half of his head into his shell now with widen eyes.

"H-hey, I would be a terrible friend if I lied about you not being cute! The guilt would absolutely crush me!" You chuckled taking the pocky stick out of his hand.

"Well, since you're always honest about your feelings. I'm willing to try the game with you."

Mikey instantly blushed at the sight of you winking with the pocky stick in your mouth.

It only took a few seconds for the biscuit treat to disappear. As you sent a quick smooch to the box shell turtle before pulling away to chew your end of the pocky stick.

"I wouldn't eat this flavor all the time. But, at least Mikey is sweet." You placed one side of your head by his shoulder as he slowly melted by your touch with a happy sigh.

[charmandabear]

60, 66, and 11 for the writer ask! :3

Writer Asks

60. Have you had a writer you admire comment on your fic? What was that like?

Several times! And it's an incredible feeling. Like a clutch your phone and giggle and kick your feet kind of feeling. @astarionfreak heavily inspired a scene in the first chapter of Office Hours and whenever she comments on my work it's like senpai noticed me lol. And @pursuitseternal is funny bc the first time she commented on one of my things it became the spiderman meme of "omg I love your work!" "No, omg, I love YOUR work!!" And then on top of that, I've found many writers I admire who commented on my work first, including @wolfywolfy and @marlowethebard. This community continues to do nothing but give and I'm extremely grateful for it.

66. How do you deal with pressure (ie. Pressure to update, negative comments, deadlines)

LMAO badly. Pressure to update is entirely self-imposed, my readers are nothing but kind and understanding about my life being a bit of a mess right now. But the problem is that I want to keep writing and I want to update. So it's really a matter of writing when I can and have the motivation, and doing my best not to beat myself up when I can't.

I'm lucky enough that I rarely get negative comments, but when they do, they stick with me. If it's clearly from a troll I just block and move on, that's usually fine. But if it's from someone who I think might otherwise mean well but it still hit me wrong? Or who had a genuinely negative reaction to my work? They live in my head rent free. Fuck, sometimes it doesn't even have to me my work, sometimes I still get mad about a comment that @moochiepoo got on a fic and get angry lmao. To deal with these fuckers who take up space in my head, I try to talk to my spouse about it, or sometimes I'll write out a response to them that I'll never send. But it's tough. I have really bad RSD and have a tendency to hold grudges when I feel wronged by someone. (Don't ask me about my former roommates who owe me $100 lmao)

11. Link three five of your favorite fics right now

It's funny bc I'm currently behind on literally all my favorite fics so maybe posting them will be an excuse for me to force myself to catch up.

pour one out by @aevallare

Your Ruination by @wolfywolfy

Love Me or Hate Me (for both work in my favor) by @pursuitseternal

Ruins by @marlowethebard

The Arrangement by @fangswbenefits (who Tumblr is not letting me tag for some reason

[thewatercolours]

🪐❄️🦷🌿🪲🦴

🪐Name three good things going on in your life right now

My fancy black and red dice which I love, and always call "the cool dice," and which I thought my students lost last year, turned up in the mysterious, forgotten pocket of my old backpack! There's always that one pocket, right? My little golden box of dice is that much fuller!

I had some lovely sushi last night! Just some grocery store California rolls, because I'm broke, but it's such a treat to me, and the Save On Foods where I get it always has it very fresh.

I never quite grasp how delighted the start of the school year always makes me until I'm back in it. Yes, teaching isn't always a bed of roses, but man, I love my kids. Every single year, I get a good group. I love making them chuckle, and uncovering their passions, and trying to find creative ways to make the material connect with them. We had group auditions for the high school show on Friday, and has some leftover time at the end, and I had them doing skits with movie quotes out of context, and everyone laughed their heads off, and... man, I love being back with them.

What's your dream theme/plot for a fic, and who would write it best?

Hm, well assuming we're talking KQ - I mean honestly, I want a longfic of that game I dreamed up that would take place between chapters of the 2015 game. Chapter 1.5, "While the Knight's Still Young," would take place during Graham's knighthood days, and I've always had this image that it would involve him discovering a hidden location in the woods with a magical fountain, and makes an ill-advised choice that kicks off a whole adventure as he attempts to fix his mistake. It probably takes him to some areas of Daventry we haven't seen before, but we also have to have a little visiting the town, because this fic is supposed to feel like playing the game, and the games are always better with more town visiting. I feel like you'd do a great job writing this one, Mickey, because you've got that spirit of adventure and comedy, and are great at balancing lots of elements, and I feel like it would be a great mix of zany antics and heartfelt moments in your hands. I'd also love to see what @gerbiloftriumph would do with it, because she can write exactly like the game at its best, and has really proven out she can write fics that feel like gameplay, and she'd make it wonderful too. Actually, can we stick you both in a blender and have your unholy amalgamation write it? I want 100k on my desk by Tuesday.

(Runner up is somebody writing that continuation of Chapter Three where Graham and the princesses are trying to stop Not-Valanice from freezing and run all around Kolyma and there are warm harbour lights in the tropics and disguises and trying to stop a war.)

🦷 Share some personal wisdom or a life hack you swear on

Oh - um - people feel loved when they offer to help you and you let them. It becomes a moment of connection and bonding, of not being treated like a guest, but a closer part of your life. Being raised by a parent whose primary love language is acts of service can make us feel that we'll show our friends we love them if we don't let them help. But 9 times out of 10, someone who already offered to help really wants to and will feel so glad if you let them, especially if you're in the habit of telling them no.

🌿Give some advice on writer's block and low creativity

Don't beat yourself up about creative block. It's self defeating.

If your old methods of getting in the mood to write don't work right now, have fun making a new writing process, even just temporarily. Or come up with a new writing ritual. Even if it doesn't help you write, you had a nicer time of it.

You don't have to make it perfect before people see it. Sometimes people seeing it will help you make it. You can incorporate community and imperfection into the process.

🪲Add 50 words to your current wip and share the paragraph here.

Blast you, Mickey.

“Hey, maybe this is none of my business, but I saw you squinting at those direction signs,”  said Number Two as he stooped to pull the first rainbow sock over his boot. “Have you ever thought you might need glasses?”

“What? Glasses?” Graham scoffed. “Nah, I’m good. It was just hard to read with all this mist in the air.”

🦴Is there a piece of media that inspires your writing?

Oh, my imagination's just a big compost heap of every story I've ever enjoyed. Hard to tell what comes from where. I do get in the mood to work on certain stories when I reread/watch certain media. I always think maybe I can make "Pirate Monks" work when I go back to The Goblin Emperor, for example. Revisiting Potter this month made me want to write children's stories for my niece. Twilight Robbery makes me want to work on my old novel, The Brilliant Hour (the one I've been writing "fanfiction" scenes of...) As for KQ, the stuff you guys make is my main inspiration at this point!

[weareallkenough]

I really do think it's important for people who consider themselves Writers to find something creative to do that isn't just putting words on a page because there are always going to be times you can't write. You're going to have writer's block, life is going to get in the way. You could write what you at the time consider your magnum opus and then end up burned out and unable to put a word on page for a stretch of time. And if your entire sense of (creative) self depends on you writing then you're going to feel terrible about yourself as a person when that happens.

Try out other creative hobbies (make a sweater! Learn rug hooking! Make art out of twigs in your backyard!) so you have a creative outlet and so you can still Make A Thing even when you can't write.

I go through phases of life where I don't Write, and most people I know who write go through the same thing. I'm currently in a Not Writing phase of life. Before I was Not Writing I wrote two gargantuan (for me) fics and it felt good. Before I wrote those I was Not Writing and during that time I was able to focus on my crocheting and I also tried out several new crafts. And before that I was writing multiple small fics all the time.

Sometimes my Not Writing hasn't had anything to do with this cycle of Writing-Not Writing. Sometimes life just had me doing so much stuff I didn't have time to string two thoughts together. But I did have time to fold a little paper or do a quick stick figure doodle and no, these were not masterpieces and I am capable of making better things, but at the time that was all I had time to do. And it felt good to use my creativity just a little bit.

I am currently Not Writing but that leaves me time to crochet and paint (badly! but I enjoy it) and do what I call "writing light" where I play roleplay games with friends and only have to focus on one aspect of writing at a time. I write Just Plot (make murder mysteries) or Just Worldbuilding (make DnD one shots) or Just Character (I make a character and show up to somebody else's game). And I'm satisfied with this. I get a high level of joy from being able to be creative while not writing. In the past I would just beat myself up for not being able to write. I consider myself a Writer so if I wasn't Writing I was failing. But I'm not a writer because I'm constantly writing. I'm a writer because I enjoy writing and telling stories and examining the human condition through things like anime fanfiction. But it's unrealistic to think you're going to be able to do only one thing for your entire life (unless maybe you have generational wealth and don't have to worry about real life like the rest of us), so you may as well embrace the cycles of life. The world is going to beat you up so much so don't help it by beating yourself up too. Go around the wall instead of just hitting your head against it over and over.

I got the idea the other day about a retired hero and a young wannabe hero, about how young people always think they have the weight of the world on their shoulders and must bear this burden alone. And it's not ready to be written just yet, or maybe I'm not ready to write it just yet, but it's going to be written eventually. And I don't think that could happen in a world where I forced myself to I tried to force my way through when I was blocked.

[crosbyism]

Fic Writers Q & A

tagged by @dadvans (like a fortnight ago, lol my bad bud, thank u boo)

How many wips do you have currently? like 9, and actively working on about two. fucking r i p, my writer’s block is absolutely taking me out back to the glue factory right now.

Which one are you finding the hardest to finish? Why do you think that is? I’ve been struggling with creative block for a while, so everything is hard right now. But for sure the ones that are hardest are the ones I’ve made the least progress on— where I love the idea and have written some scant words but maybe haven’t found the voice or the sticking points. It’s really important to me to find an emotional core while I’m writing. Sometimes that manifests as a certain atmospheric vibe given by the POV character’s emotional state bleeding into the narration (see nuts and bolts and the low tide), sometimes that’s a very concrete topic or discussion that the fic is centered around (like who can grow me), and sometimes it’s just about hitting the right narrative voice. In Pornstache and the Dogg, that sort of narrational style that’s (comedically) commenting on the events as if from after-the-fact (“It wouldn’t have happened the way it did…”; “And if it weren’t… then Nate would never ask…”; “That’s how Nate ends up…”)— I slid into that almost right away. Although it took quite a while, it was really smooth going from start to finish, and I think I even wrote it chronologically (which is unusual for me) because getting into the flow of that voice propelled me on really well. I think of it like a river: if the established current (=narrative voice, emotional core) is really strong, it’s a lot easier for me to just ride that current and let it take me where I need to go. So when I don’t have that, or am still trying to find it, that’s really hard. It’s why long-ish fic is really hard for me, because I’ll have an idea that I can plan out, that’s easy to sort of map plot points out for, but then the actual writing process is really hard because while I know what needs to happen, actually finding the voice for the story around it beomes a challenge. For me, doing it the other way around is much easier, because rearranging plot points or dialogue is very easy and natural for me if the groove of the narrative voice is well-established for me to slip into. It’s why I think of myself as more of an editor than a writer, because I find it a lot easier to rearrange my writing in order to get to a satisfying emotional ending— which is, to me, the whole point of writing.

What does it usually look like when inspiration strikes for you? It looks very random, haha. No rhyme or reason whatsoever, very mercurial lightning-in-a-bottle type shit, which makes it harder to capture. I do actually get boosted creatively a lot by spitballing with friends (most notably dadvans, who really lights my fuse like no one else), but other than that it’s unfortunately hard-to-plan, haha.

Do you curate playlists for each fic or is your process different? For a lot of fics, yeah, but not for every fic. what’s much more common is that I’ll curate either a ship playlist or a playlist for a certain mood or atmosphere, and it’ll get me in the right mindset to write e.g. a creepy scene; a sex scene; shenaniganery; etc. It’s all about mood-setting, for me.

Do you go balls to the wall and write as you go or are you more organized? I think of it as writing as I go like 90% of the time, but I don’t think that’s exactly true. It’s funny bc I always have certain beats I wanna hit for sure or plans that have evolved by midway through writing. That’s true for smut as much as for anything else. For smut it can be sex acts or sexually motor-revving moments for the characters (which, to me, is always emotionally significant), but mostly it’s an emotional beat. But it can work out to be structural elements too! For example for who can grow me I knew that the logical ending of the fic was the end of the weekend, and I’d already written and conceptualised the conversations that needed to happen within the fic/timespan of the weekend, so I ended up making a timeline midway through the process to more concretely figure out what conversation needed to happen when, so that it’s sort of “all ticked off the checklist” by the time they leave the cabin at the end of the fic. After scribbling down a timeline and planning it all out, it became clear that the last scene didn’t need to happen right before they left and that I didn’t need to make them leaving the cabin a part of the fic at all, since it was more important that it should happen the morning after The Big Emotional Talk. So I MacGyver’d it into the final scene happening on the second to last day, as they’re going out for a little hike. Because for the emotional beat, it was more important for Matthew to finally ask for something from his brother, trust him in that way, and for Brady to be able to give it to him, to sort of reforge the trust and emotional connection. So that ended up being a change made through logistical planning. What that did mean is that an easter egg that I planned fell through (Brady and Matthew were going to meet the mysterious owner of the cabin coming in as they’re going out, and sort of lift the minor mystery of who the cabin even belongs to), but since the emotional story was more important, it was a cut I was pretty happy to make.

tagging: @crosmack @imafriendlydalek @plethoriall bc i’m curious (no pressure tho buds ❤️) and anyone else who wants to. talking about this was actually really fun!

[spurious]

7, 8, 17, 19, 23, 24, 31, 37, 41, 47, 48, and 71, please?

Fic writer asksssss!!!

How do you choose which POV to write from? Truly I do not think about it a lot of the time!!! I start writing and it's in whatever POV it's in?

Do you prefer the beginning, middle, or end of a story? Absolutely not the end. Beginning and middle both have their positives though. Beginning is fun because you're setting everything up, but middle is when things start cooking, so.

What do you do when writing becomes difficult? (maybe a lack of inspiration or writers block) ....stop writing for half a decade until i find a new ship that grips me with unmatched ferocity??

What is the most-used tag on your ao3? lmao. it's, uh. "community: kink_bingo" with 11 uses.

Best writing advice for other writers? Oh lord I don't know? Just write, have fun with it, don't use a ton of epithets, aaaand for the love of god please don't use the "cum" spelling, especially when it's a verb. C-O-M-E please

Worst writing advice anyone ever gave you? I haven't personally gotten any writing advice that I can currently remember?

Do you start with the characters or the plot when writing? I guess the plot since I tend to stick with writing in single fandoms with the same small number of characters?

How do you choose where to end a chapter? I don't generally write multi-chapter things. I split O I Think We Should Be Brethren into three which was easy because it's three pretty distinct parts.

Do you tend to reread fics or are you a one-and-done kind of person? Team re-read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting? Countless. Innumerable. For the thing as a whole, at least 2-3 rereads before posting.

What do you look for in a beta? no beta we die like someone who has a strong self-editing impulse and is bad at taking criticism

When it comes to more complicated narratives, how do you keep track of outlines, characters, development, timeline, ect.? copious nonsensical notes at the top of my fic document, checklists of story beats, and occasionally handwritten timelines.

[bugcatcherwill]

can we have some writing tips, like how are you able to update the RATC fanfic every saturday? with job and etc. in the mix?

Oh boy, do I! So this is general writing tips, but also a window into my process so this might not work for others as well.

Basically I have a loose weekly schedule. I try not to stick to something more rigid because I know who sets the guidelines (me) and that person is full of shit.

The weekly schedule goes a bit like this: Early in the week, come up with what events I want to write for this current chapter and start drafting the general layout. Middle of the week is where the bulk of the writing happens. And then the Fridays are usually reserved for editing and touchups. Basically I try to have it all written or mostly written by Thursday so I don't force myself to scramble together that week's chapter. Saturday morning, I give it another few read-throughs for last minute editing and post it to AO3 in the afternoon.

What's important is that you make the most of your time while not-writing. They say 10% of a writer's job is actually writing and 90% of it is thinking about writing - and that couldn't be more correct. The amount of plot hooks that just...came to me while driving or in the shower is too many to count. And being away from that monolithic, sterile Google Doc REALLY helps clear your mind. Basically before I sit down and start my chapter, I make sure I have a gameplan of what I want to write first, so I'm not just floundering when I actually have some free time to write.

A big tip I have is find out what's the best way to write for your current schedule/comfort zone. Most of my writing I do on my phone. Seriously. I'm one of those freaks lmao. But I found out it's so much easier to avoid distractions of Youtube, Discord, Social Media, when all I have is my phone screen in front of me and I have to actually switch apps to distract myself. It also lets me do a bit of writing when there's a lull at my job, or when I'm on the exercise bike at my house.

So, yeah, a big part of what allows me to make these weekly updates is that time management, but also I've pretty much blocked so much of my story either in my head or in a Google Doc that writing it out thankfully doesn't feel like a chore :)

Also another tip: as much as you might hate outlines, you're probably gonna have to make an outline at some point. I, for one, HATE outlines. But I found a way to make my outlines a lot less unbearable.

What you do, is you don't write out your entire story's plan from the get-go. Because doing so makes it a LOT harder to squeeze in some plot point that you just came up with in the shower and you REALLY wanna put in there, but the outline says you can't. Outlines are like post-its. They're a good reminder, but you shouldn't be afraid of ripping them off the wall when you no longer need them - because that's what they're meant for.

I actually have two outlines that I use: the macro-outline and the micro-outline. The Macro-outline is basically just a bullet-point list of the major story beats I plan to have. Nothing too structured, nothing too complex, just a list of the big events and plot hooks. Then the micro-outline only goes over the next 2-3 chapters. It allows me to block out the actual chapters before I write them, and lets me look at the general story of those snippets and go "is that what I want to do?"

This, I feel, gives me a lot more flexibility in the story. Since if I come up with a plot hook I'd like to add, I can add that into the Macro-outline list, and then think about where I want to place that in the general timeline of events.

This is a bit of a wall of text, but I hope this helps! :D

[corinnetheanime]

Comic update overall! So for those unaware, the main goal is to finish and post the first six pages of the Prologue on DA (and here) before my birthday, June 1st. I didn’t forget the poll. ;)

After that is accomplished (and a lil family get-together), I’ll be focusing on making sure all of (at least) Part 1 of the story is 100% finished (as well as the general story for Part 2, etc) before starting the second half of the Prologue. My goal for that is to get that accomplished before the end of the summer (or whenever Fontaine drops). Will likely need some beta readers by that point…

As of now, the story has gotten super big in my Word document over the past week (like 40-50 chapters at least), and I have a very clear end goal and direction in sight, as well as some other stuff. It helps to watch various comic and story advice videos too, as well as always reading and studying new sources for inspiration. Abbie Emmon’s videos have helped a lot in that regard!!!!

I also try to go Tolkien’s route when it comes to world-building and writing it out: if I struggle with writer’s block, see if I can describe it in poetry. Listen to music. Get the events I want to write in a gist of prose, even saying it verbally. Always build more than necessary, even if that means using hours of a day to come up with the history and lore of this person and that event, and this artifact and that doohickey, etc. Also always good to listen to criticism, and heck, even using my imagination or dreams for extra ideas, more stuff like that.

And above all else, knowing when you have that beautiful, sweet, absolutely amazing idea that just works so so well…and having to let it go in the next draft. Some ideas have felt very off in the past, and the story has since been revised multiple times. Heck, I still have the old tabs of the story and various ideas on the Notes app…all 40+ of them.

But it has gotten stronger with every new draft and idea. That’s why the story now has changed quite a bit over the past few weeks, while other plot beats and characters have stayed relatively the same. I’m also comfortable with the tone and overall “feel” of what it will be, which is great! And also, lots and lots of escalation. That was one of the hardest obstacles to accomplish with this.

I’m (currently) the only writer for this story after all. XD

Now, I just need more time to flesh everything out, so that’s my main goal after the six pages are finished. And a big part of that will be making sure to get some OC work in too! I will be sharing those on my Art Fight account, which has some older backstories concerning three of my OCs there. That will be hopefully updated before July.

Thanks for listening to the ramble if you reached the end of this post. Heck, thanks for sticking around, it really means a lot. From one writer, artist and DP phan to another!!

<3 <3 <3

[skyeinfinity0]

I’m currently working on a Rise fanfic called Two Birds forget but this chapter is murdering me so have a bunch of fic ideas i want to write ik the future feat. RotTMNT and The Owl House

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Fair warning this is going to be mostly Donnie angst bc that’s what i like to write.

Two Birds Sequel/What if thing-I can say nothing without spoiling the ending of the fic.

Inspired by:Nothing

My thoughts: Whenever I get writers block i just work on this a bit more bc it’s easy. It’s just a fairly lengthy one shot.

Titanium Tin Man- Donnie gets an invite to a big fancy science convention where a famous multibillionaire is going to supply funds and endorsements to help kickstart one ‘aspiring inventor’. No surprise Donnie wins, and he gets very very famous. This power obviously goes to his head because he’s Donnie.

Inspired by: Cabinet Man by Lemon Demon

My thoughts: I am very very very excited to write this and have considered dropping Two Birds multiple times so i can get started. However, I already dropped the first fic I ever wrote, so i wanna try and stick with this one. I’m really mostly excited for the second arc of the story, which is also inspired by a Lemon Demon song, but just saying what the song is a massive spoiler so.

Drift Away- Donnie gets kidnapped by Big Mama, but he is confident in the fact that his brothers will find him. However, Big Mama has powerful connections in low places, and her web of lies extends farther than anyone could guess.

Inspired by: Drift Away covered by Caleb Hyles

My Thoughts: This is kind of a remake of my first, dropped fic Purple Rain has Fallen Down except it only hits like three of the same story beats. I am also very excited abt this bc Big Mamas new ally is so cool to me man i can’t wait to write him.

Burn it All Down- Donnie invents nanotech, which he turns into an alter ego called Pyras he uses as an outlet to let out all his anger and emo stuff into. Basically he sneaks out in his nanotech suit and sets stuff on fire while disguised. However, things start to get complicated when his brothers start to take interest in bringing Pyras to justice. And then Baron Draxum gets involved and it all goes to shit.

Inspired by: Play with Fire by Sam Tinnesz

My thoughts: I was OBSESSED with this concept for a while, but i’ve kind of fallen out of love with it. It’s still cool, just not amazing. Also i struggled so hard to explain the plot there oml.

Echoes (Name Highly Subject to Change)- Donnie hears the voices of the Krang in his head after the events of the movie. After determining they are not controlling him in any way, Donnie builds a complicated, morally ambiguous contraption that can be used to turn thoughts into reality using nanotech in the hopes he can use it to confront the Kraang. Idk it’s kind of hard to explain.

Inspired by: Turn the Lights Off by Tally Hall and Maya the Psychic by Gerard Way

My thoughts: This started as two different concepts: the one inspired by Turn the Lights Off where Donnie makes what is basically a non-virtual reality machine and the one inspired by Maya the Psychic where Donnie hears the Kraangs voices, but i was having trouble fleshing them out so i just kinda… smushed them together. Idk what else to say.

Emotionally Unavailable- After an accident while experimenting with a mystic crystal, Donnie’s emotions are separated from his body and manifest as ‘ghosts’ nobody else can see. Basically Inside Out but the emotions have no control and just yell at the person.

Inspired by: Oh Klahoma by Jack Stauber

My thoughts: This is a newer concept but i think it’s pretty cool idk

I also want to write a stereotypical ‘Donnie gets hurt by the shredder and hides it oooo’ fic but that’s less of a project and more of a thing i’m gonna do when i’m bored.

The Owl House x Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Who tf knows i just need some fluff. None of it would make sense (why does hunter have belos possession scars but Luz is still s1 Luz?) But i just crave it.

-Hunter and Donnie would be besties bc I need them to

-Luz and Mikey are soul siblings and you cannot convince me otherwise

-Amity and Raph seem like they would be friends? idk how to explain it they just have the vibes

-And Leo would gain a cool aunt who would absolutely enable his shenanigans because that’s just what Eda does

Anyway if you read all that thanks and if you’d like to adopt a fic hmu and depending on how attached i am to the idea i’m willing to give it up if someone wants it

[thatoneteadrinker666]

Random request. I love your stories soo much. Ok, so the reader gets totally wasted at a bar in Quackitys Casino. When they get drunk they get sarcastic big time. It's more you make fun of them they make fun of you tenfold. So someone needs to call Big Q. So Q grabs them and drags them away but Reader decides to be a smartass at that moment. Now BIg Q has a dangerous look in his eye and the reader knows the messed up. Stumbling back and trying to apologize they know it's too late when everything starts looking like it growing. Now starting at a Bigger Q from the floor, they whimper knowing this won't need well. I first wanted fluffy noms but you decide how angsty this should get, Safe noms tho pls.

aushsjdisnshsi thank youuu 🥺🥺💚💚💚

Warnings: cursing, alcohol use, soft and safe vore,

The Local Drunk

One of the patrons in the casino bar was drunk. Extremely drunk. While this was normally not an uncommon sight, they weren’t the quiet type of drunk. They reminded him of a very certain someone, and he absolutely hated it. That was going to be a problem. He was sure of it.

~~~

You were having a good time. “Y’know… I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a god. So if I wanted.. I could probably be a god too.” You squinted at your conversational partner, who had a grin on their face. So they must have been having a good time too. You didn’t notice the nervous tapping of their fingers or the way that their feet pointed towards the exit.

A hand landed on your shoulder. You took a second to turn around. There was some guy. Wearing a beanie. You weren’t impressed.

“I’m going to have to ask you to kindly leave.” They moved their free hand around as they talked.

Immediately you shot back. “I’m going to have to ask you to kindly suck my ass.” Your words were a bit slurred, but it was okay. It still got under the guy’s skin. Obviously. The way he ground his teeth and narrowed his eyes, even a drunkard like you could see that. You grinned, satisfied.

“Quackity- I don’t think they-“

“Shut up.” The beanie wearing man snapped at the person behind you. His grip tightened on your shoulder. You weren’t all that concerned still. “Alright, pal. How about me and you take it outside?” He pulled you to your feet and dragged you outside.

You stumbled most of the way there. That definitely wasn’t helping your case.

“Are you taking my offer of sucking my-“

The guy, Quackity, was suddenly not as short as he once was. In fact, he was growing taller. You rubbed your eyes, confused.

“Hey, what gives? What’s going on?” You watched as he literally grew taller by the second, and soon was at least three times your height. “Damn.”

Quackity hissed, showing off some very sharp fangs. “You’ve disturbed enough people today.” He wrapped his huge fingers around you and lifted you up and up and up. You were pretty sure he was growing even taller as he lifted you to his face, or maybe you were just imagining things. Actually, as you leaned back, it felt like his hand was getting bigger, bigger than you, much much bigger. Each finger was probably about as tall as you now. You blinked and peered up at Quackity’s face, which towered over you.

He huffed, blowing warm air over your face.

You wiped off the condensation from your cheeks and forehead and shook your head.

Quackity curled his fingers around you to hold you still before opening his mouth.

You stared inside, confused. Your mind was slow, and you didn’t exactly understand what was going on. You were just having a good time, and suddenly this guy came out and ruined it. And then grew like twelve times taller than he originally was, which wasn’t much to begin with. This was very confusing, too much so for your drunken state.

He popped you into his mouth, snapping his teeth shut behind you. Quackity rolled his eyes as he tasted the strong tang of the alcohol served in the casino. You must’ve drank a lot if he could taste it on you. He was just going to let the alcohol run it’s course with you. He couldn’t go around killing his customers. Not good for business.

Normally you’d be freaking out about now, being in a giant’s mouth and all. But you were more just curious, because you hadn’t really spent a lot of time in a mouth. It was weird. Slippy.

Quackity nudged you back towards his throat and tipped his head back, easily swallowing you down.

The movement disoriented you, but you didn’t do anything about it. You just slid down, mumbling to yourself, and landed in the man’s stomach.

Quackity heaved a sigh. He couldn’t even go back inside with you there. He’d have to stay that size until you sobered up. That was annoying. Oh well. At least the other customers would have a good night. He patted his stomach and got up to go sit somewhere more comfortable.

[flying-elliska]

tidbits from the webinar with Leigh Bardugo :

- With her writing, she wants to show there isn’t one kind of strong female character, that there are lots of different ways to be badass, among men as well. You don’t have to be super tough or a brooding dickhead. She wants to show fantasy doesn’t have to belong to one type of hero (white able bodied straight guy). She mentioned jk*r and seeing the heartbreak among her readers and thought she never wanted to be a part of causing that. Ppl talk about diversity as an artificial construct but it’s just...how the world is, and it’s how you tell a better story. When they announced they were casting a half-Asian Alina ppl were like  ‘why don’t you want her to look Russian’ and she was like ??? “have you ever looked at Russia on a map ?”. And borders are porous, there isn’t a firm line/wall in reality, and in the world of the series, in the border town near Shu Han Alina comes from, people are doing business with each other, falling in love across the border...it’s just what naturally happens.

- The Crows in this first season of Shadow and Bone are not the same as when we meet them in Six of Crows, they’re not quite as badass yet. We are getting some of the backstory that is in the books but not all of it, they wanted to keep some for next season (hopefully)

- You cannot write about thugs and thieves without being aware of the social/economic/political dynamics that created them

- When writing a book, she often starts in one place and ends in another, with Six of Crows she started wanting to do a fun blockbuster-y fantasy heist romp and then Kaz Brekker was ‘riding his brother’s corpse to freedom’ lmao

- Advice for writers : research can be dangerous, it’s easy to get lost and stay away from the draft. for shadow and bone she gave herself two months to really get lost in research, look into folklore, old cookbooks, to really get into the vivid details.

- Writing short stories is a really good way to better your writing

- To get somewhere you have to be bad at things. The bad days when you’re in a process are a good sign, because you are trying to do something bigger than you’ve ever done before. She had to learn to sit with the discomfort of not being good when she started writing.

- Writing process : beat sheet with main elements > zero draft, in which there is still discovery left about the characters. Everybody’s process is different, the key is to finding yr own. The process of writing a novel is so long, you have to be in love and stay in love with that idea, remind yourself what made you excited about it in the first place, and wait for the moment where you fall back in love with it. If you get haunted by another idea that won’t go away you can wonder what appeals to you about it and you can put it in your current project.

- The greatest gift you can give yourself is to finish a draft. When you’re stuck, go for a walk and talk to yourself (you can put in earphones to not look crazy lmao). Or shift POV. As a writer a critical voice is often what blocks you. You need to remind yourself that the first draft is going to be bad and you have to let it be, you’re telling the story to yourself, it’s fine to have placeholders and go back.

- When you’re a young writer the important thing is that you keep being in love with writing, there is no expiration date on your talent. When you’re in prep school mode, you’re told your value is in being young and brilliant, at some point you’re not the youngest one in the room anymore, you’re no longer the wunderkind, but that’s not where your value is. You still have a story to tell.

- She says she is a mix of Kaz (because she uses a cane, she’s a planner and she keeps a grudge for a long time) and Nina, or at least Nina is who she would like to be, the best part of her.

- She likes writing about women who get their revenge.

- Ketterdam treats people as commodities and expendable, it’s the protestant work ethic taken to extremes, and so ppl like Kaz and Inej are going to have the experiences they had. She didn’t want to do misery tourism, it was very important to approach these with caution and do a lot of research. She found it important to donate to organizations linked to things she has written about, so like against trafficking when she was writing Inej’s backstory. Writing those backstories were some of the most harrowing stuff she ever wrote as a writer. The scene with Kaz and Inej and the bandages was probably the hardest scene she’s ever written, she wanted to be respectful of what those two characters had been through, she’s written a lot of versions of that scene. It’s fun to talk about ships but she doesn’t want trauma to be ‘healed by love’, it wouldn’t feel respectful, the journey towards healing is a slow one, you backslide, etc.

- She struggled a lot writing Crooked Kingdom, she was kind of in a burnout, and wondered afterwards if it even was good. Importance of the drive to get better so you don’t stay static.

- She loooves a slow burn and had to put the brakes on the show writers several times lol when it came to kissing and such.

- Her fave episode of the show is episode 7

- She likes giving the names of her friends to characters bc they supported her so much during the writing process

- The first books are generally the easiest to write because you can throw your ideas at the wall and see what sticks, you can kind of do what you want, and after that in following books you have a lot more threads to pick up.

- Pet peeve : people talking about how this character didn’t “deserve” this : in her experience the people who deserve to go don’t and often the loving kind ones are those who lose, she’s experienced a lot of loss in her life, and she’s not going to write a book about war and danger without being honest about how these things go, it would feel disingenuous. She’s not going to stop killing people (lol).

- One fan talked about how she felt really helped by Nina being a curvy girl who is presented as charming and confident and very lovable. Leigh talks about how she’s been a lot of different sizes, she heard there was a famous author saying disparaging things about her weight and disability behind her back, she was like that’s not even original, and actually fuck being ashamed of that, she wants the culture to change and wants to participate in that. She wants it to be known that she is a very successful, adored fat woman with a partner who helps her up stairs, she also wants fans to know that they’re so much more than their appearance. (that moment was so badass, it reminded me of Kaz giving advice to Wylan about his disability)

- Our culture is garbage and you’re at war everyday with the people who want to make you feel bad about yourself so you buy things. Find people who make you feel strong and amazing, who don’t just tolerate you but who think you’re the best.

Anyway this was a really cool moment honestly, it made me even more of a fan.

[thebeautyoffanfics]

Hey there Savi.. could i request a kou,mitsuba and tsukasa x reader where their s/o gets bullied alot?? I've been struggling with it recently and now that school is going to start again im dreading it .. thank you in advance <3

kou minamoto x gn!reader, mitsuba sousuke x gn!reader, tsukasa yugi x gn!reader

a/n: of course!! I’m really sorry that you’ve had experiences like that, but I also genuinely hope that this year will be better! You’ve got this-!! And don’t be afraid to ask for help <3 you’re so so welcome, tho I’m sure schools probably started by now, therefore I’m super sorry for the time this took- and thank you so much for requesting <3

Waaaaaah i’m also sorry if it’s OOC, cos I know Tsukasa’s at least is;;; writer’s block is aaaaaaah-;; I’ve genuinely been writing this since September 19th,,,,

warnings: bullying

word count: 2,044

kou minamoto <3

You glanced at your phone screen, the date flashing up at you. It was depressing. Thoughts of previous years danced in your head, as you shut your phone back off. You currently stood outside of your school, “open house” finally over. School was starting back in just a few days. Your days of freedom could be counted on one hand… this was, by far, one of your least favorite times of the year.

“(Y/N)! Do you still want to walk to the park?” Kou questioned, running up beside you. You nodded, hoping that spending time with your boyfriend would get your mind off of school, and memories related to such. As the two of you began to walk, you could practically feel the question on the tip of Kou’s tongue. He always made himself rather obvious- his hands fidgeted a bit, his gaze lowering to the ground.

“Say, (Y/N)... you seem sad. Is it because school’s starting back?”

You thought for a moment, unsure of how to put it. He certainly wasn’t wrong…

“Yeah, that’s basically it… last year was just… not a good year, haha.”

“Oh? Well, I’m sure this one will be better!! If you want, we can make a list or something? All the bad things about last year can be something we change this year-!”

Despite bitterly knowing that it wasn’t exactly something within your realm of control, you laughed a bit. “That’s… insanely corny, Kou. I didn’t say a terrible idea- just… corny.”

When you glanced up at him, you noticed his red face, as he blurted out an excuse. A moment of fumbling over his words passed, before he gave up, glancing off to the side once more.

“Wh-whatever- I mean, just… like, tell me what’s wrong, if you want to. And I’ll try to help. Alright?”

“It’s really not something either of us can help, Kou.”

“So? I’m your boyfriend,” He seemed a bit embarrassed to say, most likely not used to pulling that sort of card, “If you don’t want to tell me, I can’t make you. But, if you’re alright with telling me, I want to know. Either way, I’m here for you...”

“Ah… I know it, Kou. Honestly, I just… dealt with some bullying last year, so I’m really not looking forward to this year. No matter how much I hear ‘oh, the bully does it to feel better about themself’, it’s just emotionally… hm, awful, you know?”

“Oh… I understand, (Y/N). I do remember some people picking on me, since I have a big brother like Teru- it’s not fun at all. Here!! I’ll stay with you, 24/7! Sit with me during classes, and I’ll hang out with you during free time!” “Thanks, Kou- but we probably won’t have every class together.”

“Then- just tell me if something happens during the class,” He spoke, crossing his arms rather seriously. “I’ll talk with the teacher! Easy peasy!!”

A moment passed, before Kou took your hand, looking at the ground, then back up with you. His eyebrows were furrowed just slightly, his eyes not as wide as they usually were. Kou was being serious- as serious as his sweet mind could let him be. He almost seemed to resemble his big brother even more- when the two were serious.

“If something happens, tell me, okay? I mean it. I don’t want this year to be bad for you- as your friend and boyfriend! Let me do what I can to help, alright?”

You blinked a bit. Kou’s words were so sincere, you felt your heart beat a bit quicker. “A-alright. Thank you, Kou. I really mean it.” You spoke, bringing the boy into a hug to hide whatever sort of expression you were making.

“Of course! You don’t need to thank me, (Y/N). I’m happy to try and help-!”

mitsuba sousuke <3

“(Y/N), if you don’t tell me what’s wrong, I’ll give you something to complain about.”

Ah, Mitsuba… he spoke, his arms crossed as he sat next to you, silently noticing your slightly disheveled clothes. Judging by the slightly down look you wore, too many things were now adding up. Something was bothering you, and he was bound and determined to find out what it was.

“Mitsuba, it’s okay, really. Here! Let’s eat, I’m starving!” You opened up your bento box, sliding one his way, and sticking the chopsticks into your mouth. Though you hummed happily, Mitsuba was… in Detective Mode, to put it lightheartedly. Your every move was being analyzed, as he tried his best to figure out what was wrong. Your eyebrows furrowed, as you swallowed a bit harder than usual.

“What’s the point of lying to me, dummy? If you aren’t hungry, it’s probably because whatever is bothering you is ruining your appetite. Talk to me. I’m serious.”

You sighed, feeling as if the food was stuck in your throat. Or maybe your throat simply felt as though it had a lump in it…? Either way, you were painfully aware of the unpleasant feeling. Along with the creeping suspicion that Mitsuba wasn’t going to leave this alone. Was he good at reading people?? Were you just easy to read…? Or maybe, he was just far too accustomed to the way you reacted to things. Able to focus in on the little things, especially when he wanted to. Perhaps it was the talent of a photographer? Being able to read the entire picture??

Perhaps you were thinking too much into it, desperate for a way to get your mind off of the things going on around you.

“I’m just… dealing with some stuff.”

“Well, duh. What kind of stuff?”

You kept your gaze glued to the floor, fiddling absentmindedly with the chopsticks. You knew you could confide in Mitsuba… yet, something about it felt practically impossible. What would happen if you told him? Could he do anything? He was merely a ghost…

“Oi, I asked a question. Listen, and listen well, you idiot- I know I can’t solve all your problems, but I can at least listen- which is what you’d better be doing right now. You listen to me, though who wouldn’t want to is beyond me, so I can at least do the same. I’m not your therapist, but I am your boyfriend.”

Those words danced around in your mind for a bit, as you considered how to put it. For a moment, you simply nodded, letting Mitsuba know you heard- and were acknowledging- what he said. A few more moments passed before you began to speak.

“Lately, there have been some students… picking on me, I guess. It’s… discouraging, and makes school feel like a living nightmare. You’re the only good thing in my day at this hellhole.”

“Oh.”

You tightened your grip on the chopsticks, trying to read Mitsuba’s tone. Suddenly, it clicked- remembering Mitsuba mentioning being bullied for being “feminine” and “foul-mouthed”. He truly, genuinely, understood where you were coming from.

“I see, then… I’ll tell you what to do, (Y/N). Tell an adult, lame-o. I don’t give a flying flip about ‘oh, they won’t believe me’ or ‘what if the bullies blah blah.’ At least try it- it’s hard, but I don’t care about that either. Also, freaking ignore them. Obviously, you don’t want to pay them attention, so don’t.”

“Mitsuba, it’s not that easy-”

“I know. (Y/N), I’ve been in your shoes. Maybe it’s different- I dunno what kind of bullying they’re doing. Still, if you’re good enough for my standards, you know you’re at least worth something. So don’t let those low-lives get you down. I promise you, if I could, I’d give them a piece of my mind. But, since I can’t, just… do it yourself, or something. Don’t endure it, you rat.”

(“Mitsuba, all your insults lowkey feel like bullying-”

“Shut up, stupid-face, you can’t tell a teacher on a ghost. What’re you gonna say?? Waaaah, sensei, school mystery number 3 is calling me names!! Hah.”

“Tsuchigomori-sensei can see you, you know. And he teaches both Minamoto boys!”

“Lalalaaaa, I can’t hear you-”)

tsukasa yugi <3

Tsukasa… knows.

There was no other way to put it. You knew he knew, and you knew he was just waiting. A part of him wanted you to ask him for help- to confide in him, even if it took some pushing. He was… a bit different in that sense- I mean, how was he to know you didn’t enjoy being bullied? Was it the same way he felt when Amane looked at him with such hatred?

“(Y/N)!! What’s with such a sad look?? Did you get a bad test grade?” Tsukasa questioned, floating alongside you as you entered the broadcasting room. You simply shook your head, placing your bookbag on the floor, then standing back up.

“It’s just been a day, Tsu,” You added, taking a seat near Sakura. As you did, she pushed a cup of tea your way, her gaze as it usually was. She looked right through you, as if you were nothing but a ghost. Still, it was a much better look than the ones given by the bullies. Muttering a ‘thank you’, you lifted the cup, fiddling with it slightly.

“If there’s something bothering you, feel free to share it,” Sakura spoke, her gaze staying on you, then finally closing as she sipped from her cup.

“If there’s something bothering you, share it.” Tsukasa added, placing his head on your shoulder and staring at your eyes. His gaze drifted to your hands when you brought the cup to your lips, then over to your throat as you struggled to swallow.

“Runt, if you don’t back away from them, you’ll the the one bothering them,” Natsuhiko spoke, raising his eyebrows at Tsukasa, then offering you a slightly concerned look. His expression was enough for you to know he wanted to know if you were alright- to which you shrugged, reaching up and patting the side of Tsukasa’s face.

“Don’t worry, guys. I’ll be fine, really.”

Sakura pondered for a moment, before standing. “Mitsuba, would you like to walk with me? I should go grab something.”

Mitsuba, who had been sitting off to the side- glanced up, his usual puppy-like expression on his face. “Sure,” He replied, standing up, practically in sync with Natsuhiko.

“I’ll go as well, my lady!”

Oh. She’s doing that on purpose.

Your eyes followed the trio as they left the room, and you could feel Tsukasa’s eyes still stuck on you. The moment the door shut, he spoke. “(Y/N), tell me what’s wrong. You don’t seem to enjoy being miserable!”

“Am I supposed to?” “You’re miserable then? What’s wrong, c’mon!!”

“I didn’t say I was- just that I don’t think many people like it,” You spoke, taking another sip from the tea. The warmth of it made your throat feel hot, but it didn’t help the lump stuck in it.

“(Y/N). Just admit to me what’s wrong, and I’ll do what I can!”

You sighed, not wanting to grow frustrated. Tsukasa was… trying. He just didn’t understand everything- the boy who enjoyed seeing people wear normally unpleasant expressions, of course he wouldn’t personally understand. He wanted to help you, but how could a ghost help? Much less, the ghost of a boy such as him?

“(Y/N)-” “I’m just dealing with some bullies. It’s fine, Tsukasa- I’ll figure something out.”

“I’ll kill them <3”

“Tsu-”

Tsukasa stepped away from you, crossing his arms. “So, (Y/N), you don’t like it when people bully you? I’ll take care of it! Promise!” “Stop it right there, Mr. Only-grants-wishes-for-the-dead. Don’t ‘take care of them.’ I just need to get enough confidence to tell a teacher or something…”

Tsukasa paused, pouting his lips slightly, before nodding. Quickly, he floated back over to you, and trapped you in a hug. His arms wrapped around you securely, making you feel rather safe for being in the arms of such a destructive boy. “Fine. I’ll go with you, then, (Y/N)! I’ll even hold your hand!! And I definitely won’t let those bullies bother you any more~.”

“Tsukasa, please, don’t do anything drastic-” “Whatever you say, (Y/N). You know I can’t go against the wishes of my cute partner~!”

[violettelueur]

RYŌMEN SUKUNA || BONDED FOREVER

| featuring : ryōmen sukuna ft. itadori yuji and fushiguro megumi from jujutsu kaisen

| warnings : grammar errors and some graphic/violent actions

| form : imagine 

| word count : 1749

| published : 03 december

| request : Can I a request a imagine where it’s super fluffy for Sukuna? I was wondering it can have a story of how he had a wife and she had reincarnated into someone who’s a powerful sorcerer? But she’s the soulmate for Sukuna..does this make sense at all? I hope you know what I mean😭😭

| barista’s notes : hey hey hey guys~ sorry for the really sort upfates, i’ve been having som difficulties writing some of these imagines due to a lack of ideas and writer’s block ʕ ᵒ ᴥ ᵒʔ but i hope you all had a good day today ʕ≧ᴥ≦ʔ but for me, other than coming home at around 5pm in the dark winter night, i had a decent day ʕ – ᴥ – ʔ also i don't think i answered this request properly, so i really do apologies ʕ ꈍᴥꈍʔ other than that, i hope you enjoy you cup of classic black coffee (jujutsu kaisen request!) and please come back soon!

The sweet aroma invaded your sense of smell, as you blissfully admired the array of flower petals that surround you in the warm water that you were sitting in right now. Gently, you glided your hand across the water, watching the petals also softly move with the direction of the current causing some of them to stick to your hand like a tattoo. However, before you could even move your hand again to keep you somewhat entertained, you felt an unexpectanted grip on your wrist, only for the same hand to be pulled up as the person behind you placed a kiss within your inner palm causing you to turn around to see what your husband was intending to do.

The man behind you, who still has his lips on your palm, opened his eyes to showcase his charming scarlet eyes as he looked down upon you only for him to smile softly at you - a rare smile that he only reserved for you and you only. Smiling softly back to him, you took the opportunity to caress his cheek as you admired the black markings that were permanently painting on his skin.

To him, at this current moment in time, you were at your most beautiful state as the water glistened beautifully on your bare skin with some of the petals stuck on to you, making you look like a painting made by the greatest artist with your hair stuck upon your neck due to it being soaked with the water that you and him were in right now.

“What’s going on in that little mind of yours?” Sukuna quietly asked as he leaned forward to place a heavy kiss upon your lips, leaving you no room to answer his question as you were so concentrated on the euphoric feeling to which then you felt his arms slowly wrap around your small figure, entrapping you in his embrace, leaving you no choice but to completely turn your body to face him as you then placed your leg on either side of him causing some of the water to overflow over the wooden bath, but that left no concern for you or the King of Curses.

“Nothing,” you answered him with a heavy breath once your both pulled apart, but still this little thought of yours was still plaguing your mind. “Don’t lie to me little one, you know better than not to lie to me ever,” Sukuna muttered, as his hand snaked from tracing your collarbone to having a light hold on your neck. However, it wasn’t the usual hold he would have against his opponent where his grip would tighten to disturb the airflow leading to the suffocation the unfortunate victim but rather a comforting gesture as his thumb moved up and down, expressing to you that you were able to open up to him about anything that was troubling your mind.

“When I pass, I came to the realisation that it won’t bother you at all,” you admitted to him with a soft smile, as you run your hand through his dampened hair. Although, the curse himself, exhibited the opposite reaction to what you were expressing right now making him wonder what caused you to question your importance to him. 

“Little one, when you state that absurd comment, it does nothing but infuriate me,” Sukuna voiced out to you as he leaned forward towards you - to the point where you were chest to chest - before leaving a few kisses upon your jawline. “When you pass, I will have no idea how to control myself. I may be sadistic in nature but you have calmed me down to extreme lengths that sometimes I am scared to admit. When you pass, I have nothing left to hold, no other person can take your place. Ever.” Sukuna expressed to you as he then leaned back to look at you in the eye, only to see your surprised express to his admission, “don’t ever, let that ridiculous idea come to plague your mind again Y/N, you are mine for eternity as I am yours, there is no escape from it, we are bonded forever,”.

“Forever ha?” you repeated him in a light breath, only for him to pull you into another heated kiss as his hands began to wonder around your body as if he was tracing everything to memory. Your body, your heart and your soul was entirely bonded to him as the same goes for him to you. As he said, there was no escape from it.

                                              ꕥ

“Sorry, but he’s not coming back” 

Stood frozen, you didn’t have the strength to look back on who was behind you nor did you want to lose sight of Fushiguro, knowing out of the both of you, he was in the most danger. 

“Don’t be so frightened, I’m in a good mood right now, since I get to physically see you again Y/N, so let’s chat for a bit” Sukuna cunningly commented, causing you to widen your eyes while the cold sweat behind your back began to intensify, fearful on what the King of Curses intended for you.

‘I need to quickly get Fushiguro to a safe place….but how? Damn it! How?’

However, before you could even move, the King of Curses decided that he would move for you to present himself to both of yours and Fushiguro’s view. “This is what he gets for trying to use me without any kind of pact, feels like he’s having some trouble switching back,” Sukuna stated as if he was explaining on why Itadori couldn’t gain control even after showcasing back in Sendai that he could.

“Still, though it’s a matter of time,” Sukuna continued to talk as he casually ripped off the top of Itadori’s uniform, showcasing the black markings on his body. On the other hand, what happened next caused you and Fushiguro to widen your eyes in terror as Sukuna suddenly viciously stabbed himself in the chest with his hand before slowly taking out the beating heart that was inhibiting Itadori’s body.

“I’m taking this brat hostage”

Finally having the guts to move your body, using the extremely little gap of time you had, you swiftly grabbed onto Fushiguro’s sleeve before speedily using your curse energy to form a protective sphere around his body leaving you alone in the open to any attacks the special grade curse could use on you now.

“Y/N!” Fushiguro shouted while beginning to violently bang his arms on the orb that you had manifested around him, trying to obtain a crack or a weak spot to let him out. “What are you doing you, idiot?!” Fushiguro then questioned you in a state of panic, trying to gain some understanding of what you were planning. However, you didn’t answer.

“Your goodwill stayed with you even after 1000 years, there’s nothing more than I expected from my little one, though I am frustrated at the fact that it isn’t reserved for me” 

Still somewhat fearful but now confused, you quickly used your curse energy to construct a black katana out of thin air, before raising up to point the tip to Sukuna’s neck. “Oh?” Sukuna expressed before smiling at you with such pride expressed on his face, “it’s been such a long time since you have threatened me like that Y/N, you were powerful in words back then but now you gained powers of a sorcerer, what a magnificent discovery,”.

‘What can I do? I have a limit of summoning 20 weapons at the same time but is that even enough to even get a single scratch on him?’ 

“Do you not remember me? Little one, you look as beautiful as you did that night, your hair wet from the rain and your skin still beautiful glistens then the water hits your face” Sukuna playfully commented, as he took a step closer to you causing you to take one step back.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” you finally spoke to the man in front of you, only for him to smirk even wider. However, before he could even get another single word in, you immediately summoned another 19 weapons - maximizing your limit -  from spear, swords and axes behind him, only for all of then to immediately come down with a powerful strike causing a large explosion to erupt as dust from the ground suddenly flared up, blinded your view as well as Fushiguro’s causing his anxiety to heighten on what was going on and where you were.

“You always somehow impressed me, little one. There is never a day where I am disappointed,” a deep voice commented, causing you to widen your eyes once you saw Sukuna standing right in front of you with an uncharacteristic soft smile on his face - leaving you in an extreme state of confusion once a blurred image of a man smiling at you slowly constructed in your mind.

“Why?” you question yourself in a perplexed tone.

‘How?’

“Why do I suddenly feel like I've seen you smile at me like that before?” you quietly questioned, still engulfed in the dusty smoke that was surrounding the both of you. Slowly and gently gripping on to the wrist on your other hand, Sukuna slowly raised it up before placing a small kiss within the palm of your hands causing an almost unnoticeable tiny electric current to travel up your arm to the kissed palm - as if it was something that your body suddenly remembered.

“We are bonded forever, remember that little one” Sukuna declared to you in a softer tone than he had expressed earlier before the black markings slowly started to fade indicating to you that Itadori was steadily coming back, causing you to drop your katana and open your arms once you felt his heavy body fall upon yours.

“Itadori?” you quietly called, still hoping that he was alive somehow even without the use of the vital organ that was now out of his body.

“Y/N?” Itadori called out to you just in time as the dust around you began to fade, “I’m almost done for, but I guess I don’t have to worry you, Fushiguro, Kugisaki and Gojo-sensei anymore, live a long life,”, but before you could even get a single sound in to tell him that he was going to be okay, you felt his body slowly go limp indicating to you that he was now gone.

“Bonded forever?”

[wondersofdreaming]

My curls, your curls

Characters: Captain Syverson x female reader (3rd person, with thick curly hair)

Word count: 1.256

Warnings: There are a few sexy innuendoes mentioned, else it's fluff and cute and sugary sweet.

Author’s note: This is a boring piece of crap, because I haven't written anything good since January, and even then it was still a struggle to write. So I decided it was time to get out of the deep dark writer's block hole I've been buried in. Even though it's badly written and lacking some feeling and emotion, I hope it still conveys a little about how the captain feels about his wife.

Just a reminder to everyone that this is MY curly hair routine. It might not work for your hair type or your curls, but it works for me. My hair type is between 2c and 3a, I think, not sure though because every hair type website says different things. And I use the LCO method because it works for me, and add a curling gel after the cream because I want to give my hair some extra protection under the summer sun.

A list of the products used in this story is under the cut.

I do not own any characters in this short story, except the reader who is a figment of my imagination.

MY MASTERLIST

Feedback is appreciated.

It was early morning. The sun was slowly creeping its warm rays over Syverson’s naked back. He yawned and turned around, wanting to cuddle with his gorgeous wife, but she was not where he had left her the night before. Exhausted and satisfied, sleeping in his arms. Instead, his hand landed on something furry, his dog Aika, who moved to lick his face.

“Thanks, girl, I’m awake now,” he grunted but smiled at the loving German Shepherd. He listened to where his gorgeous wife could be and heard the shower going.

The captain walked to the slightly open bathroom door and pushed it open. Dan + Shay’s new single ‘Glad you exist’ was blasting through the waterproof speaker. His wife was currently lathering up her hair with her favourite shampoo for curly-haired women. She used something he had learned was called a ‘shampoo brush’, she massaged her entire scalp with it and washed the soap off her hair, while singing along to the music.

Sy leaned against the doorframe, enjoying the view of his naked wife, while she washed her long curly hair. Next was the detangling process. She used a lot of conditioner and the weird looking big round brush with the many different sizes of bristles.

She hummed to the next song, not noticing the mountain-sized man watching her. Finishing up her shower, she stepped out and nearly screamed as she saw her husband smirking from the door.

“You nearly gave me a heart attack,” she told him breathlessly, as her hand went to her heart that was drumming away beneath her palm.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I just couldn’t help myself,” he smiled. The captain stomped into the bathroom to give his wife a long sloppy kiss.

“I need to finish my routine,” she mumbled against his soft lips. He groaned, wanting more, but respected that her hair needed her attention more than he did. Instead, he sat on top of the toilet seat and watched as she flipped her head upside down.

She started with the leave-in-conditioner, slowly raking the creamy substance into her hair, then using a wet brush to comb it through, so every strand of hair would get some of the conditioner. Next in her routine, she squeezed a tiny dollop of hair cream onto her hand and applied it from the middle part of her hair to the ends.

After parting her hair by her temples, she used another brush, a styling brush she called it, to comb the soaking wet hair. Her motions were so soothing to watch, as she brushed through each section of her luscious hair. Next, she applied a frizz control gel. Sy watched as she carefully gathered the clumps of hair in her palms and lifted it towards her scalp before she started scrunching it. He could hear the wetness being squeezed, making the same noise as when she was overly wet and he was ramming uncontrollably into her.

“Why are you doing that?” he asked curiously, wondering how that would help her already beautiful looking hair, and he was trying to control his lustful thoughts.

“It helps define the hair and it creates volume,” she said a little out of breath. “Could you plug in my hairdryer with the diffuser, please?”

“Anything for you, my love,” he smacked her ass on his way to the cabinet, where he knew she stored her hairdryer.

He connected it and sat it down next to the sink. While he did that, she had put her hair in one of his old t-shirts. Sy remembered that he was about to donate a bunch of his old t-shirts when his wife had stopped him and said she could use them for drying her hair. He hadn’t understood why but had gladly given her the shirts. She slept in some of them and the rest were neatly stacked in a cabinet in the bathroom.

It made his heart skip a beat whenever he saw her in one of his shirts, old or new, she looked amazing no matter what.

The captain watched as she went through her skincare routine while waiting for her hair to dry a tiny bit. She was so meticulous about taking care of her skin, hair, Aika, and him too. She forced him to use sunscreen every single day, even on rainy days. Not just that, she had also implemented that he started taking care of his beard, so she had bought him a kit with a beard come, a tiny pair of scissors, beard shampoo and conditioner, and beard oil. His lovely wife had chosen the scent from her knowledge of what he liked, but also something she thought smelled amazing. It was musky with some apple undertones and hints of vanilla.

He was so far in his thoughts he didn’t notice it had been 10 minutes, not until his cheeky wife threw the wet t-shirt in his face.

“Hey!”

“Thought you needed a wake-up call,” she giggled. The soft sound of her happy voice just made his heart soar, and he forgot all about her little prank.

She diffused her hair until it was almost dry, and then turned around to look at her husband, who was sitting, looking scared as she stood with the diffuser like it was a rifle.

“Your turn, captain,” she teased.

“My turn for what?” he looked profoundly confused at his beloved woman, who stood before him in nothing but a bathrobe, her long curly hair cascading down her back.

“It’s time that we start on your curly hair routine too, dear husband.”

Sy looked at himself in the mirror above the sink. He had quit the army a year earlier and had let his hair grow out, not wanting to waste time on cutting it every two weeks. He looked carefully at the dark brown curls sticking out in all directions.

His wife was standing in front of him, ready to guide him through it. He smiled at her and let her do her thing. She forced him into the shower, used her shampoo and conditioner. Then while he was sitting down. She used a curl enhancing cream to make his curl pop even more, and a gel so his curls would hold their, well, curl. He then managed to sit through 10 minutes of her hovering over his head with the diffuser.

The captain was rewarded with a kiss when she finished. She picked up a three toothed pick, called a ‘spriggle’ and lifted his curls for volume.

The last part of her hair care routine was to put in some argan oil to lock in the moisture. She handed Sy the spriggle.

“Will you lift my curls for me?”

He would do anything for his wife. Sit through a hair care routine, walk through fire, eat 40 hotdogs to win a teddy bear she had her eyes on, adopt all the dogs, cats, horses, goats, any animal at the shelter because she felt bad for them not having a loving home.

The woman who was not only his very best friend, having known her since kindergarten, but she was truly also the love of his life. The only human he needed to be happy. And she waited for him while he was in Iraq. She deserved everything she wished for and more.

This captain was utterly devoted to the woman who just threw her robe in his face, catching him off guard for the second time that morning, a soft smirk spread on her pink lips.

Products used:

Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo and Conditioner

HEETA Shampoo Brush (Purple)

Michel Mercier hair detangler for thick hair

As I Am leave-in conditioner

Epic Professional Quick Dry Hair Brush

Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice amino Avocado Leave-In Defining Créme

Denman Classic Styling Brush 7 Rows - D3

Briogeo Curl Charisma Frizz Control Gel

Segbeauty Hair Diffuser attachment

The Spriggle

The Beard Struggle (Viking Storm scent)

Aveda be curly curl enhancer

Aveda confixor liquid gel

The Aveda products and the male curly hair routine is inspired by this video from Manes By Mell

[slightlyrebelliouswriter23]

hey so i'm hoping to get some writing advice about creative burnout? like i seem to write in fits and spurts. some months i can churn out a oneshot or chapter everyday and some months i can do one (1) creative thing only. so i'm wondering how to prevent creative burnout and how to just create more smoothly <3 thank you!

Creative Burnout & How To Ward Against It

First, I’d like to preface this all by saying you’re definitely not alone. You probably already know this, but sometimes it’s nice to be reminded.

I know from personal experience that creative burnout can leave you feeling hopeless, detached from yourself—the kind of identity crisis no one needs in 2020. 

So buckle in, folks. It’s a dosy.

I. The Symptoms

Not to be the local WebMD page here, but signs of burnout can include:

Procrastination (more than usual)

Dreading writing and feeling stuck or overly perfectionistic when you try

Physical tiredness and/or irritability

Feeling like everything is monotonous

It’s more than just writer’s block. It’s a physical and emotional exhaustion response to something that goes deeper than a simple lack of inspiration. In my experience, and from a bit of research, I’ve found that what your brain is really looking for is dopamine.

Dopamine is essentially your brain’s chemical reward system for doing something interesting or exciting to you. As someone who is diagnosed with ADHD, I have chronically low levels of dopamine, so this is a constant struggle for me—but it is absolutely made worse by creative burnout.

II. The Problem

Studies have shown that the more we do A Thing the less that thing will give us dopamine (unless a component of the activity changes regularly). This is because eventually our brains desensitise to the stimuli provided by the activity, and subsequently, we become disengaged.

But it’s not necessarily The Thing (i.e. writing) that becomes boring. Actually, more than a few factors could be at play here, and the first step to finding a solution is to identify the problem.

1. ENVIRONMENT LACKS EXCITEMENT/CHANGE—

Sometimes, the monotony of everyday life can feed creative burnout. This becomes especially applicable in quarantine when you’re not leaving your house.

What we don’t realise is that even something as small as the variables of driving to and from work, or interacting with passing coworkers, gives us dopamine. So if you have the same routine every day that does not involve any added variables, your brain will begin staunching that dopamine supply.

2. EITHER TOO EASY OR TOO CHALLENGING—

In 1975, Hungarian-American psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, coined the term “flow”, which refers to a heightened state of creativity and concentration on an activity. Csikszentmihalyi posited that if your skill level is equal to the level of challenge in any given activity, you will experience this state of flow.

The chart below is taken from Csikszentmihalyi’s own study on the subject of flow and motivation. It examines “your skill level” on the x axis in relation to the “challenge level” on the y axis.

Essentially:

Too much challenge + not enough skill = anxiety, worry (which might lead to procrastination and perfectionism)

Too much skill + not enough challenge = boredom, apathy (which might lead to monotony, irritability, and other depression-like symptoms)

Skill level = Challenge level = Flow

3. NOT ENOUGH “ACTIVE” STIMULATION—

When it comes to dopamine seeking, there is a distinct difference between active and passive stimulation in the brain.

Active stimulation is any form of activity that you have to actively engage in. For instance; exercising, doing a crossword puzzle, or reading a book. These kinds of activities not only give you dopamine, they also facilitate critical thinking and problem solving thought processes, which act as catalysts for creativity.

Passive stimulation, on the other hand, comes in the form of television, social media, and YouTube. It’s anything you can consume without having to actively engage. Passive stimulation will indeed give your brain dopamine, however, it won’t activate your creativity.

The problem also lies in the speed at which you receive the dopamine from passive activities. Passive stimulation is so easy to access that the more you consume, the harder it becomes to pick up active stimulation. Your brain expects a hit of dopamine just by picking up a phone or turning on the TV—it becomes addicted to the quick fix of a Netflix binge.

III. The Solutions

Based on the problems mentioned above, I am going to list a few solutions. Keeping in mind that not every solution will work for everyone, these can act as both preventative measures and remedies for someone who is currently burned out.

1. CHANGE UP YOUR ENVIRONMENT/ROUTINE—

Aim to do at least one thing per day that will add “variables” to the monotony. This can be as simple as going on a long walk, dressing up in that bold outfit you always wanted to wear to the office but never did, or sitting at a different workspace in your home.

Anything you can do that’s simple, but might provide an extra variable to your day to spice things up. Note: this shouldn’t be the same thing every day.

2. CHALLENGE YOURSELF MORE—

If you find yourself bored by your work, try challenging yourself more. This could mean setting goals for yourself that go a bit beyond what you’ve been doing. 

For example, if you’ve been writing 500 words per day, see if you can beat your own word count every day for the next week. If you’ve been writing mainly fluff pieces, switch it up and do an angst piece. See if you can write a book in a month, or start a blog where you don’t write fiction at all!

Anything you can do to add a little kick to your workload. Note: Beware of challenging yourself too much! This can lead straight back into burnout.

3. CHALLENGE YOURSELF LESS—

If you’re on the flip side of that coin, and find that you are anxious, procrastinating, and perfectionistic when it comes to writing, fret not. Just because you’re experiencing any of these things, doesn’t mean you’re incapable of doing the job with your skillset.

It just means your perception of the job needs to be shifted.

Procrastination, at its heart, is a fear of failure, which results in actively avoiding the negative emotions associated with the task that causes this fear. Perfectionism is a type of procrastination that is a combination of a fear of failure and a fear of success (or, more accurately, other’s critiques of your success) all at once.

Neither have anything to do with your actual skillset, but they have everything to do with your perception of your skillset. Obviously, this is a harder thing to fix, as it has to do with deeply ingrained levels of self-esteem.

What I can offer you is a tactic to trick your mind into thinking you’re capable.

If you have a task, big or small, and you are feeling overwhelmed by it (like you might go curl up in bed and scroll Tumblr), immediately break that task up into smaller tasks. Keep breaking up the smaller tasks until you have the smallest possible part of the bigger task without doing nothing.

Then do that smallest possible thing.

If your goal is to write a 2000 word one shot, a small part of that task is writing half of it. An even smaller part of that task is breaking the one shot up into “scenes” and writing one scene. For instance:

Jude wakes up to a sore throat, a runny nose, and a fever.

She tries to go to work, but Cardan, being the mother hen that he is, threatens to never make her another grilled cheese sandwich (her favourite food) ever again if she doesn’t stay home.

Jude agrees begrudgingly, and Cardan sits her down in front of the TV with a bottle of Gatorade. He leaves to go get medicine from the store.

When Cardan comes back, Jude is worse than before. He makes her soup and saltine crackers and spoon feeds her.

She complains the whole time and, in her feverish state, threatens to never buy him another bottle of wine (his favourite food) ever again if he doesn’t let her feed herself.

Each bullet point represents one “scene” of about 200-400 words each. Obviously, there will be more details that you work out as you write. But with these five smaller scenes, your goal is no longer writing the 2000 word one shot. Your goal is writing the first of the five scenes.

If you complete the smallest possible task, you can stop, and you’ll still feel like you’ve accomplished something because you can cross off that task from your list. But chances are, by the time you cross off one task, you may have inspiration enough to keep going.

4. ENGAGE IN ACTIVE STIMULATION—

Since active stimulation has been proven to turn on the creative “tap”, try incorporating more of these activities into your daily routine:

Exercise: As the resident couch potato, I hate to say that exercising is good for creativity, but it is. Even if it’s just going on a short walk, so long as you’re moving.

Reading: Sometimes you have plenty of ideas, but no words to fit those ideas. Fill your well of words by carving out an hour or two each day for reading a good book.

The Creative Process: In the writing world, the creative process is a process of about 20-30 minutes that the writer partakes in every day before they start writing. This process should be creative, but also have nothing to do with writing. You can try colouring in a colouring book, painting, organising a page in your bullet journal. Anything that is creative but does not make you think about everything you have to do that day. Think of it as creative meditation.

Listen to music: Having APD, I personally can’t listen to music while I write. However, studies have shown that if you listen to at least ten songs per day, it will significantly benefit your dopamine levels and overall mood. If you’re like me and prefer to work in silence, maybe stick on a couple songs during your creative process. If you can manage music and writing together, get out those headphones!

5. KEEP A REGULAR SCHEDULE—

I know this is the most cliche point in the book, but it’s valid. This doesn’t mean do the same thing at the same time every day over and over, because ultimately we’re looking to avoid monotony. 

But having pillars of structure to bolster the excitement can definitely work to keep you from slipping into burnout. Going to sleep, waking up, and having your meals at relatively the same time every day are good examples of this. 

Feel free to change up the things you do between breakfast and lunch, but make sure you have those pillars of consistency so your brain knows that a break is on the horizon and doesn’t get tired.

6. PACE YOURSELF—

This is particularly difficult for those of us who are coming out of a creative burnout, but I urge you to pay special attention to this one. If we are suddenly hit by inspiration and the writing is flowing and flowing and flowing, eventually we will hit the point of highest dopamine capacity for writing.

Not putting a check on the flood of inspiration coming out of a creative burnout, I’d argue, is actually a guarantee that many of us will experience burnout all over again. It becomes this vicious cycle in which we are trapped.

While it feels great to write non-stop and receive immediate validation for that work, try to limit yourself to how much you’re writing and how immediately you post your writing (if you plan on posting it).

Whenever I finish a one shot or a chapter of something, I like to allow at least one day for editing before I post. This timeframe is important, because it acts as a buffer of rest between writing marathons. 

You can take however long you need for the editing process, but definitely make sure you have a set amount of time in place. Otherwise, your brain might not have enough time to come down from what is essentially a writing high, and you will always need to reach greater heights in order to achieve that same level of dopamine.

~~~~

Overall, the most important things to take away from all of this are: 

Change up your environment

Keep your brain actively stimulated 

Have pillars of structure between which you can run about chaotically to your heart’s content

PACE YOURSELF!

Hope this helped. Happy writing!

-Em 🖤🗡

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