#its hard and if you asked me why i do it i would probaably not know how to answer

[prettyboykatsuki]

do u have advice for anyone who wants to start writing

uhhh im pretty jaded about creative stuff so ill try to give some no bs advice

1. make sure you're writing for the right reasons. it's normal to want validation and to share your writing - that's why we share what we do. but be realistic about your expectations when coming into it and understand that you should ultimately be your own audience. writing solely for attention will burn you out and make you more jaded then you already are lmao, so write most of all because you like it. never do anything that doesn't bring you happiness.

especially considering how terrible the interaction is currently lol

2. read a lot, preferably for things that have nothing to do with your fandom. not only bc the risk of plagiarism, but also because the key to improving as a writer is improving your technique and you need to understand that technique beyond the scope of your fandom works so your writing has novelty and freshness to it. explore different medias of story-telling and make it applicable to your writing. i watch a lot of video essays and that has a big influence on me, so find what inspires you. but also, read literature, read different genres etc.

3. writing is just a hobby for many, but it's also a skill and it requires time, effort, and patience. good writers make it look easy, but just starting out it isn't. the only way to improve is by writing a lot and reading your own work with a critical eye (which is also something you have to develop over time.) note that that doesn't mean to be negative about your work - but know how to improve on your own and being self-sufficient is also what it means to be a good writer.

i wrote for many years before i ever wrote for this fandom since i was like?? 11 or 12 i've been doing it most of my life but i only started to take it seriously when i was around 15.

4. as an extension - writing is a discipline. and you have to really love it to keep doing it or to do it consistently. i say this a lot but writing is basically the only thing i do aside from cooking and playing games but it's essentially my only creative outlet which is why im able to spend so much time on it. i go to work and then immediately write when im home etc.,

and im not saying you have to be like me (im insane) but i am saying that the only way to improve in your writing is doing it a lot. it's a skill, a muscle and you have to work it out for it to get stronger.

5. i really don't want to sound discouraging but i really do say this to everyone that writing is hard and that there are tons of growing pains when you start to do it. so manage your expectations and also understand that you'll slowly have to navigate your relationship with it. it's really fulfilling but there are tons of situations that you'll have to learn to deal with, especially if you decide to post which is a whole other can of worms

tldr ;; read a lot and take what you notice in your reading and apply it more generally to your writing. write frequently and manage your expectations. and good luck!! i am cheering for you