#i think it’s funny how many people glorify symptoms of mental illness and then when they find out it’s not just something that makes you dif

[jjkyaoi]

btw intrusive thoughts aren’t funny. just so we’re clear . like what is the punchline there what’s the bit. my intrusive thoughts have had me spiral for weeks thinking i’m a terrible person and i deserve to die because my brain convinces me i am/believe or think awful things. it’s all fun and games what if i dyed my hair at three am #intrusivethought until somebody says something that their brain intrusively, uncontrollably tells them that can’t be made into this manic pixie dream bit that u fuckers have conjured and then it’s disgusting and psychotic you guys suck

[galaxythreads]

Suggestions on how to improve fanfic writing:

I was talking with @angelfishofthelord recently (not that recent, time is a concept that escapes our collective grasp) and I jokingly suggested that I make this post. I am in the middle of an insomnia night, so. Here be us.

Characters use the same nicknames and phrases inside their head as speaking. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’re sharing the humor they’re speaking. I.g.: For SPN, I see a lot of people write Dean as a little careless in his POVs, because that’s just how he portrays himself, but Dean, I think, while having a dark sense of humor, isn’t actually very funny in his head. Same goes for MCU and Tony Stark. Funny characters does not always equal happy head space. :)

Nicknames--this used to bother me to no end, because nicknames were never something in my family, and people shortening down the names felt wrong. But you nickname what you love. If someone has given a nickname (and not in mockery) to a character, chances are, they call them that in their head. Like in MCU Clint calling Natasha "Nat", or SPN Dean and Sam calling Cas "Cas" however, with that said, unless the nickname is self chosen, most people will use their full name when narrating. Castiel, Natasha, etc.

Headcanons! This is going to sound a little backwards, but headcanons have always helped me sort between characters. I know that some fic authors are very against headcanons, but to me, you HAVE to make these characters and their world your own, at least a little. You need to understand how their brain functions, and headcanons are a wonderful, wonderful way to do that. So long as you can conceivably fit them into canon, I think you’re good. One of the ones I have about SPN Cas is that he doesn’t actually give off body heat, so he’s constantly room temperature. It’s a detail for people that’s not Cas’s POV to notice. So getting some headcanons like that will help differentiate between POVs because it’s different things for characters to acknowledge.

Mimic writing that you admire. (And ask yourself WHY you like it) I really, really love the way that TFW/avengers team is portrayed in some stories, in others, I’m like “meh.” Write to please yourself, first and foremost, on how to read these characters thoughts. Those who agree with you will flock to be your audience, and they’re who matter.

Language/word choice is really important for POV change. Again, people talk like how they think.

POV change? Treat the character whose POV it is like they are THE most important person in existence. Their reactions get a front seat. Their five senses are your concern. What they notice about a character may not be true, but it's what they notice. They are human, not omniscient, ergo, they'll get things wrong. Even if the story is written with a completely different character in mind, this character is still the most important. POV's time to think, talk, panic, angst, express, etc. That chapter was about how they felt. That’s why sometimes, even if I really do want them to talk or something, a character might think “please don’t say xyz” because THEY don’t want that, and how I feel as an author isn’t relevant here. Remembering that they’re human, and need time to process/react to things is huge.

Practice, practice, practice. It does get easier with time, and effort. I promise. All of you would laugh at my first few weeks of diving into fandoms. That stuff is garbage.

Conscious stream of thought is generally the best way to engage readers, and the most enjoyable. This is how we immerse ourselves into the story. We become a part of it because we follow their thinking. It is always ideal to start where you are the most comfortable, whether that's 3rd omniscient, 2nd person, etc, but, in my opinion, you don't get that true "click" with the characters until you've conscious stream of thought them.

Research. Lots of research. Don't know how long battieres could last in 2002? Look it up. Don't know how to do stitches? Google it. Try to avoid making things up.

Look guys. Everyone understands that you are most likely NOT a doctor or have any semblance of a medical degree. This is fiction. Research what you can, and move forward carefully or vague it out with the rest. The worst that can happen is someone correcting information you got wrong.

Please, please, please stay within the range of human limitation. (Or whatever creature/being you are writing for) You can't lose more than five pints of blood. You CAN die from pain. Infection spreads quickly. I'm sorry. I just. Have read so many fics from newbie writers who push their characters past extremes that is almost impossible. You want to hurt them that bad, break a bone or something. Just. Please try to be realistic. (Don't misunderstand here, I love me some well-done whump.)

Again with the "you are not a professional thing." Those diagnosed with mental illnesses know that you may not be writing from true experience. This is okay. But please, please do not avoid using any words or phrases common with the illness as you try to "vaguely" write it. The more authentic you are, the less likely you will offend someone. Look. I would be so frustrated if someone tried to write about an ED and just... Avoided words like "starve" "binge" and "hungry" because they didn't want to trigger me. Like. Sweeties, I appreciate the thought, I do, but it's more frustrating that you can't even SAY it than actually putting it into your writing. So. Please just. If you're going to write about a mental illness, do so with the intent to WRITE it, not skirt around the bush.

With that, if you are not diagnosed with the mental illness your writing for (or suspect that you have some form of it) that's okay! Google symptoms to get a basic idea, and search for first hand accounts. People's experience is a lot different than the definition. For example, some of the most hilarious people I know are severally depressed, and Google will just tell you they are sad.

Write write and write. You are building a skill. You have to practice that skill frequently.

Do not be afraid to ask for feedback. Betas are wonderful. Asking for advice is wonderful. Being too shy and afraid of criticism for asking for help is perfectly okay. (Hello fellow traveler)

If your search history doesn't have you being watched by government organizations in the next few months, you aren't researching enough. ;)

Take your time. Quality over quantity. Do NOT conform to the update fairy that demands updates frequently. Look. I love my readers. I do. But you HAVE to take your time to finish things in order for them to be worth reading. If this is six hours or six years, that's that.

Do not give everything away. Stop answering questions. We keep reading because we have unanswered questions. Anticipation = good. Knowing everything at once: bad.

Do not put in funny for the sake of funny.

Insults should be insulting, not make people want to cringe and duck their heads.

Dialog should serve as people communicating... Like actual people.

Siblings (unless otherwise said so by canon) DO NOT address each other as "bro" and "sis"

Not a native English speaker? Cool. Natives would love to help you learn their language. :) English grammar sucks.

Analogies should make sense. They should flow smoothly into the writing. If they pop out, you've lost the attention of your writers.

please, please don't glorify rape, racism, homophobia, mental illness shaming/glorification, abuse, sexism, and other crappy things. Thanks. People came for a story, not to get their souls crushed.

[collapsingintojupiter]

This goes for neurodivergent people too, and people with mental illnesses.

Growing up, I have always been the "weird kid." I got made fun of for being different constantly, and because I didn't know how to fit in, I kinda just had to get used to being the joke and the funny one of the group even though I hated it. When I got a job, that continued there too. I'm usually either completely ignored or talked about behind my back. Sometimes coworkers just straight-up call me "weird" and "odd" to my face.

The problem is, I never understood what I was doing wrong. To be honest, I still don't. I just know that I don't belong and in some ways never will. And I know I'm not the only one. People like me are often ignored, made fun of, or just straight-up cast aside in favor of "better" company; more normal people.

At the same time mentally ill people are romanticised until the second they show real symptoms; anxiety is "cute and shy" until they panic over ordering coffee for themselves and ask for help, depression is "emo kids crying to sad music" until someone realizes it's been five days since they've been able to shower and they don't have the energy to even try to wash their dishes, and the list goes on. Hell, society even glorifies eating disorders. And of course, when these people show actual symptoms than suddenly they're "annoying" or "disgusting" or a "burden."

Neurotypicals are uncomfortable with the idea of people being neurodivergent and mentally ill, so of course to make them comfortable (and you know...to keep my job, to not get in trouble with teachers, to stay out of trouble with parents, to keep from being talked about and laughed at), you have to act normal. Even if you can't. Even if it makes you miserable.

For me it's things like I can't get excited about things that make me really happy because then I'm annoying, I can't talk about what I think is cool because nobody else thinks it is and just wants me to shut up, I can't ever let on if something upsets me because then I'm "too sensitive," and the list goes on and on forever. I know other adhd people and autistic people face similar challenges and more.

That's why so many of us apologize constantly; we're taught that just existing as we are is a burden on "normal," people. Apologizing for being excited, for being happy, for being sad, for being angry, for thinking something is cool, for thinking something isn't cool...and of course, the list goes on.

We're taught to be sorry just for living.

I don't really know where I was going with this; I'm sorry. But I felt like I just needed to say it.

If the world hates you for existing you’ll probably either get really good at something or get sad or both. Now for a lot of folks getting really hot and/or athletic is the right way to go. If you’re fat though no matter how athletic you get people will still think you’re ugly. And a charming personality isn’t enough for people. So, to make friends you become funny. People will keep you around if you’re funny. Usually.

So then fat people grow up and continue to be funny and then people associate their fat friends with funniness. So then skinny show writers are like “Haha fat people funny” and fat comedians take the “Haha fat people funny” roles because they need and want work.

And then fat people get tired of being funny. Or they like being funny but don’t like that their physical appearance is always the butt of the joke. So they’re like hey. Can I be a model? Can I be a doctor please? Can I play a well rounded complex character in a drama or something? Can I make a sitcom where the comedic situation isn’t my weight? Can I be a successful singer?

And then society goes : NOOOOOOO!

And then fat people either give up or try to do it themselves. And the ones brave and lucky enough to do it themselves just get made fun of all the time for being fat. And continually the only way we can find love in the media is through comedy, and that comedy often puts fat people at the butt of the joke just for being fat.

Where was I going with this? I dunno. I’m a fat person that likes being funny and sometimes wonder if my loved ones are secretly repulsed by my appearance because I’ve certainly gotten enough “well meaning” comments about my weight over the years. Did I become sarcastic and funny because everyone hated me when I was a child? Absolutely. Do I continue to try and be funny because I’m secretly convinced everyone on earth will think I’m a fat waste of space if I’m not? You bet your ass I am. Also it’s fun and makes people happy or whatever I guess