#no but seriously you're amazing i love your style of writing and you're so creative

[transexualpirate]

holy fucking shit sjjajsjsjdjsjd 16woodsequ ur one of my all time favorite ao3 writers you're so cool thank you so much this is awesome

hmmm. craving some hurt steve fics rn. anyone has any

[23victoria]

Bottass Calendar or Bottass Naked?!

f1 grid x fem!reader

warnings: cussing, talks of naked bodies

authors note: i so wish it was christmas so this could fit the theme more but i still had so much fun writing this!! anon🤍 thank you so much for the request!!! any feedback is appreciated and please like, comment, and reblog!! hope you enjoy!! 🤍

want to be tagged in my works?! CLICK HERE!

1k celebration f1 masterlist

Lewis

Y/N: opens the gift and sees Valtteri's naked calendar "Oh wow, this is amazing! He looks incredible in these pictures!"

Lewis: laughs "Maybe I'll make one just for you."

Y/N: "Omg, I would love that! Just make it funny."

Lewis: grinning "I'll make sure it's a masterpiece. Maybe I'll pose with Roscoe."

Y/N: "That sounds perfect! Can you imagine Roscoe in a tiny Santa hat?"

Lewis: "That would be hilarious. I'll get creative. Maybe some racing gear too."

Y/N: "I would fucking love that! I can't wait to see it!"

Max

Y/N: opens the gift and sees Valtteri's naked calendar "Oh wow, this is amazing! He looks incredible in these pictures!"

Max: frowns "I don't know if I feel happy about you liking another man being naked."

Y/N: teasingly "Don't worry, Max. You're still my favorite."

Max: sighs "I suppose it's just a calendar, but I might need to make my own to compete."

Y/N: laughs "You? Posing for a calendar? That would be something!"

Max: "Why not? I could show off my muscles. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Y/N: "I definitely wouldn't complain. It would be fun to see you out of your racing suit."

Max: smirking "Challenge accepted, then."

Charles

Y/N: opens the gift and sees Valtteri's naked calendar "Oh wow, this is amazing! He looks incredible in these pictures!"

Charles: smiles awkwardly "I guess it's... nice? But I'd prefer if you admired my photos instead."

Y/N: "Oh, Charles, you know I do!"

Charles: teasing "Maybe I should do a calendar too. What do you think?"

Y/N: "I'd be your biggest fan! You could do something artistic, like in the style of Monaco."

Charles: "With the beautiful scenery and classic cars? I like that idea."

Y/N: "And you in stylish outfits, of course. It would be perfect."

Charles: chuckling "You've got my creative juices flowing now."

Lando

Y/N: opens the gift and sees Valtteri's naked calendar "Oh wow, this is amazing! He looks incredible in these pictures!"

Lando: pouts playfully "No, you're only supposed to like me naked!"

Y/N: laughs "Lando, you're too funny."

Lando: "I'm serious! What if I made my own calendar? Would you like that better?"

Y/N: "Of course I would! You'd have to make it super goofy, though."

Lando: "Goofy? I can do that. Maybe some funny costumes and silly poses."

Y/N: "That sounds amazing. I'd love to see you having fun with it."

Lando: "Alright, challenge accepted. I'll make sure it's the best calendar ever."

Oscar

Y/N: opens the gift and sees Valtteri's naked calendar "Oh wow, this is amazing! He looks incredible in these pictures!"

Oscar: bursts out laughing "I can't believe you got that as a gift!"

Y/N: grinning "It's definitely a memorable present!"

Oscar: "I don't think I could ever pose like that. Too embarrassing."

Y/N: "I bet you'd look great, though. Maybe a tasteful one?"

Oscar: "Maybe if I had a few drinks first. But seriously, it's hilarious."

Y/N: "It is! Imagine if we all made one. It would be a hit."

Oscar: "That would be something. We'd have the best-selling calendar of all time."

Y/N: "With you in it, definitely!"

Carlos

Y/N: opens the gift and sees Valtteri's naked calendar "Oh wow, this is amazing! He looks incredible in these pictures!"

Carlos: smirking "I don't know if I should be happy or jealous."

Y/N: teasing "Why, Carlos? Feeling a bit competitive?"

Carlos: "Well, if you like those photos so much, maybe I should make my own calendar."

Y/N: "I'd love that! You could do something adventurous, like your travels."

Carlos: "With my car and some dramatic landscapes? That would be cool."

Y/N: "Yes! And some action shots. You'd look amazing."

Carlos: grinning "Alright, I'll think about it. You always have the best ideas."

Jenson

Y/N: opens the gift and sees Valtteri's naked calendar "Oh wow, this is amazing! He looks incredible in these pictures!"

Jenson: raises an eyebrow "Well, this is unexpected."

Y/N: laughs "It's quite a surprise, isn't it?"

Jenson: "I don't know if I should be amused or concerned."

Y/N: "Oh, Jenson, it's just for fun. You know you're my favorite."

Jenson: "Maybe I should make a comeback with a calendar of my own."

Y/N: "I'd love to see that. You could do something classy, like a vintage theme."

Jenson: "Vintage racing? That could be interesting. Alright, you've convinced me."

Sebastian

Y/N: opens the gift and sees Valtteri's naked calendar "Oh wow, this is amazing! He looks incredible in these pictures!"

Sebastian: chill "I like it. He looks good."

Y/N: "Really? You're not jealous?"

Sebastian: laughs "No, I'm secure enough to appreciate good photography."

Y/N: "You're the best, Seb. Always so supportive."

Sebastian: "Maybe I should make one too. Something environmentally themed."

Y/N: "That would be perfect! You could use it to raise awareness."

Sebastian: "Exactly. A fun project with a purpose. I'm in."

© 23victoria 2023-24 I all rights reserved. do not republish, steal repost, modify, translate or claim my work as your own

[suusoh]

I think a lot of people seem hesitant to write about Johan Liebert, believing there’s a need to portray him "accurately" or "seriously" or else don't write him at all.

This fear is completely valid and understandable of course; experiencing it myself. Most works in the "x reader" section tend to lean heavily toward psychological thriller and suspense, all crafted with such skill and depth with downright the most beautiful writing style ever. (can you tell I want to inject these fics right into my veins.)

I absolutely fucking LOVE these. Okay? let's establish that. I eat up these works every time, they clear my skin and water my crops.

What saddens me a bit is to think that starting out writers who read these fics, instead of getting inspired by such beautiful works, accidentally intimidate themselves out of writing for Johan because they think that is the standard of what a Johan fic should look like. I suspect many aspiring writers believe they need to meet certain "requirements" before they can write about Monster or Johan.

It's easy to think that you have to read countless analysis posts on monster, watch the series dozens of times, or have a good grasp in psychology and philosophy before you're allowed to write about him (guilty ✋️).

While it’s beneficial to understand a character well, I've noticed an underlying sense of "perfectionism" found within the fandom, creating this sort of cycle:

-> Look at the Johan/Monster tag: You see no "bad" or "inaccurate" fanfics—only well-written ones. -> Try to write for Johan: You feel your work will never match the quality or accuracy of what's already out there, so you hesitate to share it. -> Avoid uploading your fanfics: you think your work is "inaccurate," so you might as well not upload it. Someone might even bash you for it.

And then the loop begins at the top again. Breeding the idea that only meticulously researched, serious fics are worthy of uploading. I believe these amazing fics should be a source of inspiration to you to share your own stories instead of holding back. I doubt the authors of those fantastic pieces want anyone to feel intimidated. In fact, I'm sure that they, along with many readers, would likely LOVE to see a selection of variety and creativity in the fandom.

It's good to be cautious of your characterization, great even. It means you've at least put in the work right? But you shouldn't let the fear of making something "untrue" to Johan's character stop you entirely. It might help to look at certain fanfics as a way to guide you, but not to set strict laws on yourself. He’s meant to be an enigma, a puzzle to interpret in various ways. For example, one author might say he enjoys tea, while another might explain he prefers blue Gatorade in their story. The beauty of writing him lies in these interpretations!

( Also there are people on platforms like TikTok and YouTube using Johan as a mascot for the "sigma male manipulator". Writing Johan x reader going on a cute date as a little treat for himself with his newfound humanity is absolutely fair game at this point 💀 )

Numerous serious fandoms, like Sherlock, Hannibal, or Dexter, have their share of fluff and unserious fics that don’t delve deeply into character analysis. Yet they’re written, uploaded, and enjoyed by the community.

Fandom and fanfic writing should be a space and a chance for you to experiment and indulge in your creativity. That's what everyone is doing here, it's not a competition for "best writing". You shouldn't feel any pressure to write for anyone else but yourself and write what you wish to read. If anything, I'm pretty sure all the johan peeps are begging to have more people write, eating up any sort of writing like the dogs we are. woof woof bitchh!

You might think that your fanfic about Johan running away to join the circus is stupid, but somewhere out there is someone waiting to find and read a fic of Johan running away to join the circus.

[3hks]

Types of Comic Relief Characters

We all love a good funny character, but some of us just have no sense of humor and no idea how to create such a jokester! With that being said, today, I'll show you that writing a comic relief character doesn't always require hilarious quips and jokes! So, here are several different types of humorous character archetypes that you can include in your writing pieces! Just a heads up, I created the names for these types of characters, if they have a different one on the internet, I apologize! (I only did this because I couldn't find any real references on the internet.)

The Commentator - This character is just there to comment random things during situations to brighten up the atmosphere. Usually, they're really just a minor character who lacks depth because their only purpose is to make mirthful and entertaining remarks.

The Annoying One - This character loves annoying and frustrating people however they can. They tend to not take anything seriously, and in the eyes of characters, they are bothersome and irritating. But to the audience, on the contrary, they should seem endearing and witty! It's their personality that makes it so interesting to read and write about them, especially when you add more complexity to their persona! (Which is highly suggested, by the way.) Lastly, when creating this character, it's important to remember that part of the humor is derived from their words and actions, while the other part comes from the responses and reactions based on how other people react towards their antics.

The Happy-Go-Lucky Character - This character doesn't actually have to be super funny, as their main purpose is to relieve tension with their positivity! The Happy-go-lucky character is designed to appeal to the audience by appearing cute and wholesome with their upbeat energy. This way, they're typically a fan favorite! Additionally, they're often a pretty major character, so I suggest giving them some dimension! Again, they're not produced to be the most humorous type, but they're a great fit for any comical situation!

The Stupidly Smart One - Exactly like what the name states, this character is just stupidly smart. Typically, they're very impressive academically, but they lack logic and rationale. They also hardly use their abilities to their fullest potential because they have an abundance of motivation. They're often an incredible asset during any major event, but other than that, they're just there for the party!

The Hard-to-Read Character - This character archetype does not have a strictly set personality. In other words, it should be challenging to describe them with one adjective! They have a blend of several different personality traits that sometimes may seem contradictory, but it really just depends on the situation they're in! The main thing about them is that at times, it's difficult to tell whether they're joking or serious. For example, maybe they state something serious, but their expression displays otherwise. Writing this style of character will require a lot of effort and creativity, but I find that this archetype is very rare in novels so it's definitely worth a shot!

The Chaotic One (Duo) - This is an amazing archetype if you want your audience to have some laughs! I personally think it's much more fun to read (and write) about a chaotic duo, instead of just one character. This way, you can create hilarious conversations and interactions between the two! This character type lives almost solely to troll and isn't very reliable with things that don't matter to them. However, if you're writing a fantasy story, note that there is nothing wrong with giving them some overpowered abilities, as it shows more of their dimension and potential! If you're creating the duo, make sure that the characters causing the mayhem each have a separate personality. Typically, there is a 'ringleader,' who leads the shenanigans and is the most chaotic of them all. Additionally, there's usually a semi-serious character, whose job is to keep them in line. Nevertheless, they still join in the antics and reckless actions! Interactions between the two are mostly meant to be humorous, wholesome, and fluffy, so just have fun and let loose when writing this archetype!

Okay! These are six different types of comic relief characters you can use for your stories! Hopefully, this is able to serve as inspiration and/or a guide for you all! If you need any tips on bringing these archetypes to life, just ask, and I'll try my best to provide the quality information you all deserve!

Happy writing~

3hks :D

[aris-ink]

Would you like to give us some series recs. (Angsty,,mature)typa series

💕💕💕💕💕

series... okay, these are easier to remember, enjoy angel 💖

min yoongi, three tangerines by kithtaehyung. slow burn, slight age gap, brother's best friend, angst, fluff, pining, tension, romance, smut. really beautiful writing. long chapters.

kim namjoon, he's your father's best friend by your-daily-biaswrecking. 👀 this isn't so much a series as it is a drabble with two parts, but it had to be mentioned here bc like >>> dilf!namjoon, age gap, angst, smut. I first came across this story ages ago and I never forgot it, the way the angst and the reunion scene were written did so many things to my heart 😩

kim seokjin, off limits by floralseokjin. brother's best friend, slight angst, fluff, smut. no words no words no words 💖

if you're looking for series that contain some good angst, lots of comfort and amazing smut I am referring you to my queen @beahae 👑 seriously stunning, touching writing, her masterlist is one of my favorite places to go back to for comfort ♥️

jeon jungkook, ex on the beach

ot7, unorthodox

if you're in the mood for series with angst, lots of comfort, lots of fluff and mature themes without the smut, I refer you to my other talented queen @imnotlauriane. I don't even know which series to recommend, I started reading three so far, but I guess she's a magician or something because she comes out with something new and wonderful ALL THE TIME so

here is the masterlist <3

if you'd prefer darker fantasy with these themes and some more amazing smut, please check out claret cravings by @vvh0adie ❤️

hello?! mortician witch reader and seven adorable, possessive vampire bats 🦇 the story is so, so incredibly well written, creative and has the kind of gothic vibes I absolutely love and can't find anywhere else.

speaking of dark fantasy mixed in with these themes and more remarkable writing — @yoongsisbae

masterlist

pick and choose — zombies, werewolves, end of the world. bewitching is the only word I can think of here. I'm only starting my journey through these and I'm in so so love. as I knew I would be ♥️

@jeonggukieverse!!! 🌹fantastic yandere, mystery thrillers. again, I couldn't find works like hers anywhere else. perfection if you ask me, not only in regards to the horror aspect of it, but also the writing itself. 💗

jeon jungkook, bunny boy.

jeon jungkook, let the games begin.

@orchidyoonkook 💐

jeon jungkook, to what we were before, and all the things after. smut, fluff, angst, slow burn. again, only starting my journey here but <3 dreamy and beautiful, yes please to the entire concept of Jungkook as a prince, golden minds create golden stories I guess 💯💞

@deepdarkdelights 💘 this one is so obvious, but I completely fell in love with the outstanding writing style and the unique plot.

jeon jungkook, ten seconds. yandere, angst, smut, hurt/comfort themes.

please don't forget to send the talented authors some love <3

[cloudcountry]

thank you to the three people that tagged me in the twst author spotlight ^^ irene, siren, and sapphy, thank you. i read what you said about me and i was very touched. i didnt think i would gain so many friends in such a short period of time, and you all deserve to be recognized for your contributions to the twst community!! :D

EVERYONE LOOK AT MY FRIENDS.

@tinyletterz, who has a beautiful soul and amazing writing. i've known her since my baby days on quotev writing for a fandom which shall not be named, and it's so such a pleasure being her friend. she writes twst x reader content and has a gorgeous series about flower languages that i think about a lot. thank you remy for helping me get accustomed to tumblr, you're the og!!

@shkrmpp, who was my first mutual that i'd never met before here. thank you for asking about jellyfish and being such a bubbly presence on my dash. shrimpy writes x reader content and creates adorable art!! their hair dye series with the leech twins is super cute and i find myself thinking about teh floyd part in particular very often ^^

@fukashiin, with the prettiest themes and the gorgeous art style. winou CONSISTENTLY writes absolute bangers that make me so giddy. this one in particular is one of my favorites, and her writing style reminds me of a soft summer breeze. she's such a bubbly person and its so fun talking to her, even if we don't talk often. ^^ she's one of the three people that keeps my deuce content afloat.

one could say many things about the beloved @hisui-dreamer!! from the way she adores her friends to teh way she writes, rinna is always soft and sweet. she radiates comfort and is such a soothing person, i feel so safe around her. she writes x reader content and every single piece is its own masterpiece. she's one of my closest friends on here and i wish nothing but the best for her every day.

@merotwst, who has a bucnh of adorable oc content (on @meromessy !!) and writes x readers!! ellie in on haitus right now takinga well deserved break. <3 but she writing is amazing and i am FLOORED whenever i see her art!!! it's literally so gorgeous and i don't understand how she does it. its crazy. how is so much talent in one person.

@siren-serenity is not only a lovely author of x reader content, but also a lovely friend. ^^ siren also has an oc named melody who is so cool!!!! she was the pastor at my wedding and fought TOOTH AND NAIL for that position LMAO love u renren!!! she really writes azul SUPER WELL and im so happy to have met someone so calm and soothing to talk to.

@officialdaydreamer00, aka nutmeg, is a rascal. an absolutely rascal but they're really the best. they have a yuusona with LORE and a bunch of really creative & cute events!! seriously nutmeg, nobody does it like you. if you want to see our favorite twst boys in strawberry dresses or recieve a pair of cute earrings, irene's blog is the place for you!!!

@the-v-lociraptor has STELLAR art. she was one of my firts mutuals on twst tumblr and i was terrified of talking to people but her vibes were very much "i am nice you dont need to be afraid" and sniffling scared me was like "OKAY I CAN TALK TO YOU" LMAO but yeah. she draws people so,,, full. thats the only word i can use to describe it. they just look s soft and alive and its really so amazing. i love her art so much!!

@siphoklansan is another artist!! i think about the art she drew from loona's heart attack with twst character weekly basically. it has been stuck in my brain since i started following her. sippy, its trully beautiful how you mix your culture and your art together. i remember you talking about it when you were drawing fairy gala stuff and it was just stunning. please keep doing what you're doing!! i hope your hiatus proves restful <3

@ceruleancattail is one of THE most creative writers i have ever met on this platform. every time i check out their account theyre talking about a new au or doing something different. they write x reader stuff and ar ethe biggest cater kisser ever (even if they wont admit it hehe!!) their writing is so refreshing, if that makes sense. their butler au is so goofy whaahwwahwah

@moonlit-midnight has the prettiest writing style :((( hannah is literally so sweet and it shows in everything you can find on this blog. THIS BLOG HAS PLATONIC FICS TOO!!!! DID YOU KNOW THAT?????? and even better, they're inspired by hannah's own friendships :((( literally the most wholesome thing. you can find x reader's here!!!

@iseethatimicy is an x reader writer and fellow azul kisser!!! she writes some really cute stuff for oour favorite silly little cephalopod AND AND AND AND HAS SOME OCS!!! THATA ARE SUPER COOL!!!!! shimiko and icy are both so cool and interesting 9EVEN THOUGH IM VERY SHIMIKO BIASED AAAAA I LOEV SIREN TROPES !!!!!)

@ryker-writes IS SO KIND. he gave me the sweetest set of flowers for his garden event :(( i still think about them and aaaaa i havent forgotten when he fought me over me being cool LMAO so goofy wahhwaawh!! HIS OC JAXON AND RIDDLE ARE LITERALLY SO CUTE :((( he writes x reader content & makes oc content!!!

@totallymem3 draws occasionally and omgggg meme's art is gorgeous. HAVE YOU SEEN HER DRAW AZUL. her art is so soft and its honestly adorable :(( meme is such a nice mutual too!!! like i met her on anon a while ago we've been besties ever since fr. HER ART REMINDS ME OF SPRING GO CHECK IT OUT PLEASE!!!!!

@z3llous is SO TALENTED!!!! another mutual that im liek WOW how do you exist??? he creates the most stunning twst fanart :((( THE OCTAVINELLE BIAS IIS SO REAL AND SO SO OBVIOUS BUT WOW.....WOW IS IT GOOD. zell is also a game developer and if you like cute little kitties and adventure games you should totally try it out here!!!

@cecilebutcher MAKES THE BEST OCS. creator of igor and saver of the universe. im not kidding igor saved the universe IDC WHAT YOU SAY ITS CANON TO ME. cece i sliterally the sweetest and soososososo creative i am eating up every crumb of igor content i get fed. OM NOM NOM. ofc junto is nice too and hes so sweet!!! GAHH you just put so much love and care into yoru ocs its so admirable :((((

@ang33333333l is another azul kisser that i became mutuals with a while ago!!! dolls love for sebek and azul is very sweet to see and her yuusona fauna is adorable too!! she also draws her yuu and characters sometimes!! :D she doesn't have a lot of oc content up on dolls blog yet but im looking forward to seeing more!! >:D

@leonistic deserves the most underrated writer of the year award. soru writes x reader content and is another super sweet mutual of mien (I KNOW IM SAYING THAT A LOT OKAY.) she writes aroace content and its literally feeds me. seriously. their aroace azul content makes me giggle and kick my feet and GAHHHHH !!! plus they have the patient to do matchups which is crazy and i love them for that ^^

@rains-asleep is the nickname master because he calls me straubs and thats such an adorable nickname :(((( HIS WRITING IS SUPER CUTE AND IT GIVE SME SO MUCH SEROTONIN (they write x readers btw!!!!!) they recently hit 500 followers (CONGRATS AGAIN!!!!!) and they also write for haikyuu, mha, genshin impact, and obey me!!!

@shinysparklesapphires is an artists that has a lot of cool ocs!! i believe navi was the first one i was introduced to and he's such an icon ^^ sapphy is also really into precure and produces a lot of content for the fandom!! i have yet to finish the precure series she recommended to me but its good so far and laura is the best so true!!

@datboredpencil has THE most STUNNING art. if you want idia x cater content this is DEFINITELY THE BLOG FOR YOU!!! each piece has so much love poured into it and i swear. YOURE ALWAYS LIEK "its a work in progress" BUT IT STILL LOTS SO LOVELY :((( YOUR USE OF COLOR IS JUST SO MUAH!!! CHEFS KISS!!!!!!! I ADORE IT

@twistwonderlanddevotee makes really pretty backgrounds!!! i actually used the isaac one she made for my private account AND ITS SO CUTE I LOVE IT I WANT TO EAT IT SWALLOW IT WHOLE MUNCH ON IT SHAKE IT AROUND LIEK A DOG TOY ANYWAYS. i am very normal about sofia's backgrounds. PLEASE GO CHECK THEM OUT its literally so unique?? like who else makes backgroudns liek sofia. Nobody.

@queen-shiba has an open inbox everyone!! you're welcome to send in requests!!! ^^ the queen of savanaclaw makes oc content for chuki, a really sweet kid taht deserves all the cookies in teh world :((( ALSO!!! she has an au for the tsavo man-eaters which is super cool!!! :O she passion for lions and tigers really is admirable and its nic eto see her talk about them :3

@beeirdos-buzzing-bogaloo has a gift when it comes to making ocs!! thule remains my favorite of the ones he has talked about because his design is just so neat!!! I LOVE THAT HIS NICKNAME FROM ROOK IS "MONSIEUR STARGAZER" :((( you have so many ocs that i havent even heard about yet...so im super curious to see what else you put out!!!

@dove-da-birb IS SUCH A GENIUS. they're one of my closests friends and their writing is SO BEAUTIFUL. they're also kidn of a little shit though so watch out /aff tehy write x reader content and draw sometimes, although i dont think theyve posted any of them. ^^ dove is SUCH a delight i promise you'll have fun every single time you talk to them. their energy is infectious and im genuinely really glad im the main target for their chaos. i would not have it any otehr way.

@ashipiko has such delicious art!!! the colors are always so vibrant and the way she draws is so unique. truly, a staple of both the twisted wonderland and as3! fandoms!! her energy is always upbeat and cheery, its hard not to smile when youre talking to her!! truly the biggest ace kisser on thsi platform (probably in the world too hehe)

@shyhaya writes for a myriad of fandoms!!!!!! hayami writes an azul thing for me that made me lose my mind IT WAS SO GOOD. PLEASE check out this blog. you wont regret it. requests are open!! ^^ even twst content aside, im sure you'll find something you like sich haya writes for so many fandoms!! talk about multitalented :3

@thehollowwriter has so many gems. quinn writes every character in twst so well, teh writing is so immersive and just ughhhh MUAH!!!!! every piece with azul in it is such a banger and it makes me giggle and kick my feet :3 LITERALLY THERE IS SO MUCH X READER FLUFF AND ITS ALL GOOD ITS A CRIME I DIDNT FIND THIS BLOG SOONER.

@cyath, who has some of the PRETTIEST art i have EVER seen. they draw stuff based on my fics all of the time and i adore it so much. examples of their art can be found here, here, here, and here. do you understand what i mean. do you get it. their art style is SUPERIOR and i ADORE IT!!!!!! they truly have so much talent like damn save some for the rest of us hello!!!!!

@crheativity writes twst x readers!! she's a beginner writer so PLEASE PELASE SHOW HER SOME LOVE!!! right nwo she has some heartslabyul content that i havent gotten around to reading yet but i am SUPER excited to go through them when i get the chance!!! rhea is super fun to talk to hehe <3

and lastly, @jade-s-nymph who organized this whole thing!!! rubia is on hiatus right now but i've seen some of her projects and a few of the things she's written and they're all really good!! there's a lot of x reader content on her writing blog and self indulgent nymphleech content on her personal blog :3

[altschmerzes]

You’re such an amazing writer, I love how well you weave long drawn out character thoughts or observations with dialogue it’s so seemless. I feel like when I try to do that it gets so clunky and hard to read

Do you have any training? Because your stuff reads like a professional

And tips or recommendations? Ie books you’ve learnt from etc etc

Thank you 🙏

ahhhh gosh thank you so much!! i'm so glad you think so. that's something i've really had to work on balancing tbh - the long introspective parts with the dialogue. i can get distracted with the narrative and forget that nobody's spoken in a while and have to go back and fix it lmao. i wouldn't say i have any training! i took a creative writing course in university but it was a very surface level 101 class for one term and we didn't really dig into much. i think it's just time, probably, time and effort doubling down on what i think works for me and what doesn't. i've been writing and posting fic online for... fourteen years? going on fifteen? i was very young when i started, lmao, i think i was twelve, and i'm about twenty-six and a half now, and i've made a lot of progress since then.

a lot of how i handle it now is considering context!! i skim a scene and my notes/draft for it and i try to see if it feels like it passes too quick, or if it misses the point i'm trying to drive home in the mind/heart of the character whose point of view i'm in. if it does, i go back over and try and beef up the narration/introspection. if it feels like it lingers too much or isn't getting to the point quick enough or it just feels like a boring section, i try and clip from dialogue to dialogue faster. if i want it to feel disorienting or detached, i'll keep the paragraphs shorter. if i want the pov character to feel like they're spacing out or dissociating or caught up in their own feelings even if they aren't expressing them, i'll spend longer in their head. if you feel like it's getting clunky, take a step back. look at the clunky piece and go why? does it feel clunky because it's repetitive? is the dialogue not anchored to the internal thought enough when it should be? is it moving too much from thought to thought without spending time on what those thoughts mean, how they feel? those kind of questions can help you get to what needs fixing!

ultimately, it's mostly practice, like most things with writing, i think. take notice of what you like and what you don't like, how you think it fits together. i think in terms of books i've read that made me want to write more, my most recent picks would be the last unicorn by peter s beagle and the locked tomb series by tamsin muir - though tlt is like... probably not what i'd go to for a standard balancing of dialogue and introspection. those books are very stylistic so if that is not the specific style you're going for, it could be difficult to take cues from. in terms of just flat out good, mesmerizing writing, though? yeah. hot damn. highly recommend. and the last unicorn is some of the just, straight up best writing i've ever read.

this is seriously so flattering thank you so much <3 i'm beyond thrilled to hear anyone might like my writing enough to ask for advice from me!

[writingquestionsanswered]

I finally have motivation to write but no inspiration. I have a bunch of ideas, but not well fleshed-out, pretty weak, and feels there's no "point" to the story. But I'm struggling to add more to it. I don't feel inspired. There is no drive for my own WIPs. I do have a creative well. I just feel like I'm lacking the heart for writing. But I get so pumped when I see others' WIPs! It's like I have apathy for my own ideas. Am I just not creative enough to be a writer?

Struggling with Creativity & Inspiration

If you feel your "creative well" is full and you're still struggling to find inspiration, I definitely wouldn't jump to the conclusion that you're not creative enough to be a writer. There are a lot of other places where there might be an issue… 1 - You Don't Know Enough About How Stories Work - This is honestly the biggest obstacle for newest writers to overcome. Humanity is so invested in stories, yet the vast majority of us don't really know how they work. Kind of like cars or cell phones. They're a part of daily life for a lot of us, but most of us couldn't really explain a lot about how they work. There are all different kinds of stories and they all work in different ways, but most of them revolve around conflict and follow basic story structure. In fact, most of our favorite stories move forward in the same general way. Once you master these basics, it's easier to flesh out your ideas and figure out where to go with them. My Plot & Story Structure master list is a good place to start.

2 - Your Expectations Are Askew - The next biggest obstacle for newer writers is the mistaken belief that writing should be easy... that you can just sit down with an idea and off you go to write the story that will make you famous. Of course, that isn't how writing works at all. Even if you know how stories work, have fleshed out ideas, an outline, motivation and inspiration, time and energy... you still have to put the words down on paper, and that requires thought and effort as well as acceptance that what you write isn't going to be as amazing as you want it to be. Not until you've written a lot of bad and mediocre stories. And even then, your first drafts will never be final drafts. You have to give yourself permission to write an unpolished mess before you can polish it up into something pretty.

3 - You're Getting Hung Up On Silly Things - If you're anything but an experienced writer, you don't need to worry about "the point" to your story. You don't have to worry about underlying messages, your writing style, motif and theme... You have to focus on quantity before quality, and all those other things will fall into place. If you give yourself permission to write stories that have messy plots, lack point or purpose, have characters with sketchy arcs if any at all, and which aren't super well written, you can learn to write stories where all of those things are really well done.

So... learn the basics of how stories work, then just sit down and write. Take an idea and run with it. Do a writing prompt. Write some fan-fiction. Give yourself permission to write something that won't be good, that you might not even finish. Just start. Don't worry about point. Don't worry about message Don't worry about theme. Don't worry about style. Just start writing. You're not here to write a masterpiece... not yet. :)

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[aceseonghwa]

(excerpts from ateez's gq article - read here)

i just wanna start off this post by saying please read this article! it is absolutely amazing and beautifully written.

soooo buckle up for another ramble post about how much i love these guys...

i just finished reading this article and felt the need to type something up, especially after reading those two excerpts above because it just really got me. i didn't think the love that i already had for ateez could grow any bigger but after reading these interviews with the member it increased tenfold.

there will truly never be another group like ateez. like seonghwa said, the fact that they trained in the states is so foundational to who they are not just as as artists but as people -- it really helped in giving them an ambitious and creative mindset. i love that ateez don't give themselves limitations and that they are dedicated to constantly growing, changing, evolving, improving, bettering themselves. it reflects in everything they do. i also love that they don't let other people put them in a box; ateez have always stayed true to themselves. they are committed to having their own personal style and color as a group and that is what sets them apart from others. in the kpop world especially, it can get pretty uninteresting from time to time but with ateez, you're never bored. ateez never settle for mediocrity and they never allow themselves to stagnate. they are always thinking outside the boxes that people try to put them in and it makes them so special as artists. they don't follow trends, they don't adhere to what any one particular group of people demand or what the industry deems popular -- they just do what THEY want. their creativity and passion knows no bounds.

and of course san's words here were also so meaningful to me. ateez have always embraced diversity and it makes me love them even more. to stand out, to be different is a STRENGTH. and ateez clearly see and understand that and utilized it as such. there should be nothing stopping you from being passionate about something and ateez live up to that. ateez have never let obstacles stand in their way. in the face of adversity (people doubting them, undermining them, underestimating them, not taking them seriously, not giving them a chance to perform, etc) they have always come out on top. these boys are some of the most sincere and genuine artists i have ever had the pleasure of supporting. what they do is clearly more than a paycheck for them -- despite whatever negativity people might throw their way, they are living, breathing proof that following your own dreams is what's important. they are always willing to take on any stage and perform for any audience, while pouring every bit of themselves into the shows they put on. i just. love them so so so much.

i'm sorry this post was so rambly and all over the place but everytime articles like this come out i feel the need to write thinkpieces lol. anyway please give this article a read it is just so good and your atiny ego will become huge i swear

[stupidstrawberrystars]

Firstly, when you get this, you have to answer with 5 things you like about yourself, publicly. Then, send this ask to 10 of your favourite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool)

(realised you're also one of my favourite followers lmao so now I'ma send it again, you don't have to answer BUT there is DEFINITELY more than 5 awesome things about you if you're struggling ask me and I'll give you twenty)

Thank youuuu 🥰 I did do this 🥺 BUT i’m brave and awesome so im sure I can come up with more :)

(6) my friendships, all my friends are amazing and lovely 

(7) my relationship with my sister 

(8) my style 

(9) my ability to say the right thing at the right time

(10) my brave self deciding to get tumblr back in October (which paid off supremely) 

NOW, I read YOURS Rue (also now i’ve read the hunger games that name makes me sad but whatever), and while I’m sure your brain, brain cells, skull and blood are all incredibly vital and something to be proud of… can I offer up some other options? (I would say smart but at least you wrote that one). 

How about, your insane creativity? You write SO fast, and SO well, and you have all these little headcanons for characters, AND not only do you write microfics, but you also write those little lines that characters would say, which are always fantastic (you know the ones? Like Remus: Blah Blah Blah, Regulus: Blah Blah Blah) and they’re always amazingggggg and I love them alll!!!!

OR how about your kindness and/or encouragement. You inspired me to write again :) And were generous enough to let me borrow your Marlene Headcanon. And THEN you were superrr lovely in the comments and made me smileee ❤️

ALSO it inspired me to start writing again and now i’ve signed up for a fest (help).

OR, your humour, you manage to make your fic writing FUNNY (when you want to) which is SOOO hard. Seriously (siriusly hehe) it’s so impressive. 

Okay that seems good, but I have more if you’d like :) Also sorry for all the compliments but you’d better take them cause you deserve them ❤️

[polarisbibliotheque]

So like, less of a suggestion and more of a question - I recently found your works and have just been blown away by the details (like, seriously, you're on the top of my favorite writers list) and just how... perfect you craft everything? I genuinely inspire to be like you, but the problem is that I've hit a rut - I'm super unsatisfied with my writing, and whenever I try to get back into the writing zone, I just fall flat. Is there any advice you could give on how to improve one's writing? What would be your tips and tricks at getting into that writing zone?

(Do apologize me taking SO LONG to answer, but I had some health emergencies the last couple of weeks and ended up in the hospital – I’m doing better now, chilling at home and trying to recover. My doctor is 90% sure I have Crohn’s Disease and I’m having many ups and downs trying to find a proper treatment that I seem to respond to. BUT…)

…I hope you are aware of how much you made me smile, blush and almost indulge into my teary eyes upon reading this. Hahahaha seriously, thank you SO much!! I can’t even thank you enough, I’m just in pure awe that another being in this big ol’ world we live in thinks so highly of my writing!!

I mean, not even I think that highly of my writing. Notice a pattern? ;)

One thing I learned being an artist – not only writing, I also draw, play the piano, write music on my free time/when inspiration hits, everything creative, I’m there, doing it – is that we’re never really satisfied with our work. We will always think we could’ve done something better, and we’re definitely going to be pretty “meh��� about a lot of things we do – even when other people think it’s a masterpiece.

And that is good! We’ll always strive to perfect our skills! You just have to remember to appreciate the work you do even when you’re not completely satisfied with it. You will get to where you want to – but then, you’ll wish to improve even more! And that is awesome!

But hey, I do have some tips and tricks on improving and getting into that writing vibe!

For the people getting to the party now, my main tip on improving is here, in the first part of the answer for this ask! Now, now…

(long post below, as expected YEE BEEN WARNED!)

Regarding improving:

Read. A. Lot. Hahaha I know that’s quite an obvious one, but it’s really important. Personally, I think reading mindlessly just to fill a quota of “I read 25 books a month” doesn’t work. It works when you absorb it – when you allow yourself to plunge into the world of the book you’re reading, feeling the characters, the emotions, the settings… That helps you build your “mental library” so to speak! And sometimes you’ll find things and expressions you like that you might use both on your daily speech and while writing – for instance, I have this awful thing of saying “there’s a lack of wings to my words” whenever I’m speechless, because of Homer’s Odyssey. I freaking LOVE that book, I loved that expression, I use it all the time, and it has definitely bled into my writing.

WRITE! A LOT! Write bad stuff, good stuff, short 2 pages thing-ys that you go “hey that’s a good idea!” but you’ll never actually turn into a full story, random scenes, fanfiction, stupid fanfiction, serious fanfiction, self-indulgent stories, stories for your family, stories for yourself, stories for whoever wants to read or not, dreams that could be great stories… The point is to write. It’s much like drawing or playing the piano: if you don’t practice, you won’t get better and you won’t develop your style. The more you practice, the better you get! So don’t be afraid to write bad stuff, cringy stuff, or ridiculous stuff – or even stuff you thought would be awesome and turns out bad, or stuff you think will never turn into anything that turn amazing! One way or another, you’ll be refining your craft!

Identify what you like on writers you admire. I started noticing that while reading The Silmarillion. The Lord of the Rings is my favorite book since I read it for the first time when I was 15, but I didn’t pick up The Silmarillion until I was around 22 – and by then, I started underlining with a light pencil all the phrases I liked most, something my mom did on her old books when she was around my age. I then started taking a look at what I liked about Tolkien’s writing so much – and in other books too: what kind of phrases seemed to resonate more with my soul. Which ones brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my face. And then I notice I tend more to the unconventional ways of describing things.

For instance, instead of going like “she was beautiful, with pale skin under raven dark hair, blue eyes shining on her fair face” I tend to go for the unconventional, sort of eerie, not so much taken for granted kind of describing “her beauty glowed like the first pale star to glisten in the evening sky, under a deep sea of dark, velvety hair, making her eyes twinkle like sapphires with a smart look while carrying the light she kept in her soul”. If I had to, the second one would be how I’d describe Arwen or Lúthien, giving them that ethereal otherworldly beauty they have. It's also the one that evokes more feelings inside of me rather than just a mental image.

That’s why I try to describe some things in a different light. When I’m writing, I want people to feel something – but how can you describe that feeling of joy when you hug someone you love and the whole world fades for a minute? That’s when I go for the “his heart bled with gold while his hands never wanted to let them go. For a minute, time seemed to stop and there was nothing else but his heartbeat intertwining with theirs, beating as the same song – even if theirs was more melodic while his was more melancholic. It was that kind of tune that made his lungs not remember how to breathe and his eyes pour – while his lips reflected all the gold that cascaded from his heart.” It’s a quick (rather ridiculous) example, but I do think about some things: how when I feel like that, I tend to have a hard time breathing and I do cry, but it’s because I want to smile so much I cannot contain it. Then I try to describe those feelings with metaphors and poetic stuff because I’m a melodramatic bitch.

Jokes aside, it’s because I like that sort of writing that has that beauty behind it – or more of a melancholic approach. It’s what resonates the most with me and I adopted it, even if sometimes it feels too… Abstract. I like that ability of people piecing the abstractness together and having their own interpretation – and that’s what makes people have different feelings while reading the same thing.

Is this for everyone? Absolutely not. I bet some people despise all that poeticness I like to put on words to lace them like a painting, you know? So, the more you re-read the things you like, you’ll start identifying what resonates with you and you can apply that to your own writing!

And that doesn’t mean you’ll have to be locked on that writing style as well. I’m currently trying to finish a book (I hope someday I can publish it) which is a cyberpunk style story, with lots of inspiration from Cyberpunk 2077, Blade Runner, John Wick (yes, Keanu Reeves sends his regards) and all that poetic writing doesn’t quite fit there. I’m using more of a direct approach, but there’s a lot of existentialism and reflecting on overcoming grief, trauma, owning your own life and contemplating one’s own mortality – and that’s where that poetic, metaphoric, melancholic, bittersweet characteristic of my writing style comes into play. And then everyone starts cursing and shooting each other again :)

Having a style doesn’t mean getting stuck in it – it means knowing when and where to use it!

Now regarding getting into the writing zone:

I freaking ADORE music and it helps me A TON while I’m writing. It’s like setting the mood. I’m trying to be sexy, or mysterious, or having that vampire-y vibe? Depeche Mode playlist it is. Fight scenes? Metal and Electronic. I need to freaking focus and get to work without thinking too much about the music (or start dancing like crazy whenever a song I love comes in and there I am, dancing and singing in my room at 3 a.m)? Piano playlists – classic, modern, everything and anything, as long as it is piano.

Playing music that goes with what I’m writing also helps. For my cyberpunk book, for instance, I put on the Cyberpunk 2077 OST playlist/radio on, or I search for “Cyberpunk Ambience/Playlist” on Youtube and let it roll while I write. For my King Arthur stories (yes, still working on them), I put on Celtic music compilations, Enya, Loreena McKennitt or the piano playlists. For my vampire stories, be the medieval or the near-future one, dark piano, Dark Wave, etc. Perhaps searching for that one playlist that has to do with your story setting and listening to it for some time might get you in the zone!

I also usually write deep in the night. Because I’m a spawn of Dracula. After everyone at home has gone to sleep, I make myself some hot tea, sit on my computer, start listening to music and write. That’s because I know I won’t be interrupted, and I can do just that. Sometimes, I start writing at 1 a.m, other times earlier, other times later. Try to notice when your ideas seem to flow better and when you get more into the zone – but please, don’t be unhealthy as I am and go to sleep at a decent hour. I’m not an example here with my sleeping schedule hahahaha

Cringy moment: when I’m stuck, I act the last scene I wrote as one of my characters in the shower and, usually, ideas start to come in (and I have to get off the shower). Hahahaha now that’s just a weird one, but I have NO idea why, my best ideas arise in the shower. Water has a weird effect on me, so sometimes I just stand there with warm water pouring over my head and, lo and behold, I’m exiting the shower in a hurry because I just got my writer mood back HAHAHA so maybe some very mundane activity – like cooking, taking the trash out, cleaning the room – might be where your writer brain will come to life. You never know.

Needless to say, I talk to myself a lot, sometimes as if I’m talking to the characters. That is a very bad coping mechanism I developed when I was being bullied at school – I used to pretend Dante was with me when I was alone or something had happened and I needed someone by my side, so nowadays I have a very easy time writing this man. I started doing that with some of my characters, and that goes for repeating lines or part of the stories I’m writing to see if I can get un-stuck. It’s not the greatest of things, but it works. My neighbors might think I’m crazy, though xD

When I’m completely unmotivated or I keep staring at the blank page without being able to write, I try to immerse myself in what I’m writing about. So, if I’m stuck on my cyberpunk book, I watch some Cyberpunk 2077 let’s plays, I re-watch the Edgerunners anime, I re-watch Blade Runner, I re-read some parts of Do Androids Dream of Electrical Sheep? or I, Robot, I listen to Blade Runner’s soundtrack, I even try to play Cyberpunk 2077 (while praying not to get motion sickness or not having my pc exploding from overworking). If I’m stuck on my King Arthur works, then I re-watch the 2004 movie (may the gods bless Ioan Gruffudd and his wonderful Lancelot and Mads Mikkelsen as my beloved Tristan), re-read the 3 books on the Chronicles of Arthur series, listen to some Celtic music, research Arthurian stories for hours on the internet, search for my encyclopedias at home to see if they have something on King Arthur, read obscure translated manuscripts from ancient times on it … So, immersing yourself on reading, researching, listening to music, watching movies, playing videogames, listening to stories, watching series, reading mangas, watching anime, documentaries, going to the movies, basically doing anything that has to do with the theme you’re writing, may get you in the mood. Next time you sit down to write, it might flow wonderfully!

I don’t force myself to write, though. If I do, I usually can’t write a single decent word and I’ll hate it. If things aren’t flowing – and this I learned with my mom, who also draws – I leave it for a while and go do something else. Maybe I’ll have some warm tea, or watch a completely unrelated movie, or read my current book, or talk to my parrot in the kitchen, play some piano, draw a little, or just take a good nap. My mom says it refreshes the head and the eyes, and when you come back to it, you’ll be a lot more inclined to find things that weren’t working and let those creative juices flow.

I also have a very weird search history and I’m not ashamed of it. All writers do, and it’s better to have a weird search history than not knowing what you’re talking about, honestly. And sometimes, researching takes a lot more time than writing and might get you motivated – time spent learning is never wasted. Even if you’re learning what kind of dates grow in Greece and are offered to Apollo (bless his heart).

Sometimes, I write something completely unrelated, with a very different theme, and stupidly goofy – and that gets me back to the writing vibes. Sometimes there’s just this need of writing something for the sake of writing, and you just want something foolish to make you smile like a goof. It’s valid and it might be your ticket out of writing-rut-land.

Now some little uncalled for advices:

I spent too long being self-conscious and too serious about it. If it’s not your style, don’t force it. Some people need structure, other people thrive in chaos – know what’s your style and go for it. I hate planning novels, for example. But I will outline the main points of the story and the ending – the rest, well, the characters have to show me whatever else they’re doing, and I have to go with it. Sometimes there are huge arcs I didn’t plan as a main point of the story, but they pop up in the middle of it and they are important – I like leaving that room for impromptu writing/creating. So, find out how it works for you, not how it works for everyone else.

You don’t have to create masterpieces right at the first time you’re writing. Take my King Arthur thing-y for example. I wrote the full story when I was 15. When I was in college, I decided to re-write it. And then, when I was at work, I decided to re-write the re-write. And now, I just took all my files, read them, thought about it all, outlined a whole new story and decided to write anew. Not re-write, but take all that work and write as if I had never written anything before – in the original file, the main characters were 15 years old and in school, now they have their jobs at Universities and work on the secret society that is now a lot more fleshed out and built with loads of new characters around (including a new one I created yesterday after months not thinking about it).

If I hadn’t written the Twilight-sort of embarrassing thing when I was 15, I wouldn’t have this whole universe, characters and story to build upon nowadays. It wasn’t a masterpiece, but it was a good idea – and I’ll keep working on it until I’m happy with it. It’s been 13 years I’m working on it now, maybe when it reaches its 15th anniversary, I’ll be able to finally let it see the light of day!

Don’t listen to the “NEVER DO THIS!!” advices. Seriously. Writing is a form of art – and, as in all art, there isn’t a right or wrong. By all means, see what people are saying it’s bad and you should never do – I watch and read those advices so I can learn to be better too! – but don’t take it to heart. As Captain Barbossa would say, it’s more of a guideline than rules set in stone. Sometimes, something people say you should NEVER EVER do is something that works perfectly fine for you and your style of writing. Learn to make up your own mind: learn new things, listen to advices, but absorb those that resonate with you and leave those that don’t. That’s how you create your own opinion about things and how you find your writing style!

One fun thing to point out on this as an example: me, my mom, my sister and my dad ADORE reading. My sister loves Jane Austen, my mom is a super fan of Dostoyevsky and Russian literature, while my dad lives for Isaac Asimov and all things sci-fi. I love sci-fi, my mom can’t stand it. I read Dante’s Inferno in a week and my mom couldn’t get past the first verses. My sister can’t read poetry at all and is terribly bored by Lord of the Rings. My dad read my Chronicles of Arthur books and even told me to buy the complete the series. Me and my sister enjoyed Khaled Hosseini’s books a lot, but my mom never felt like reading them.

All of this to say: it’s not a matter of who’s more intellectual than the other, it’s a matter of who likes which kind of literature and writing styles. Some people are more comfortable with one way of writing or a certain kind of literature and can’t stand others – and that’s ok. Writing is pretty much the same. THERE ARE NO FIXED RULES! BE A REBEL!

If it helps you: character sheets. Around 8 years ago – or more – I searched and searched online for the character sheet that could help me the best. I had never done it before and thought it was quite useless, until I downloaded one and started filling the infos on my main characters of my Arthurian sort of story. Lo and behold, they became SO MUCH BETTER and that’s when I started rewriting everything: I understood all characters a LOT better and made better decisions when writing them. It doesn’t work for everyone, though, but it’s a lot of fun for me. Currently, I don’t use it much because I now know what are the main things I need for my characters to seem alive, but it’s always nice to have a reference when you’re writing.

My cyberpunk story, for instance, it has A BUNCH of characters with scars, different hair colours, different eye colours, the way they dress, birthmarks, cyber-implants, cyber-prothesis, dressing styles… And sometimes I get lost in it. So it’s nice keeping a character sheet when I go like “wait, she has burn marks on the left arm or the right arm…?”

And keeping a file on worldbuilding might be helpful as well. I noticed that writing my cyberpunk thing. The first thing I wrote was a huge file explaining the city, the factions, the districts, people’s styles, who are the viruses, the sub-types of viruses, the political parties, the police and secret police, the difference between artificials and organics, how does access to the world works, what is the Ocularis system, the most important corporations, their names, their owners… And all those things will probably never appear on this story.

But I felt a HUGE difference. Instead of info-dumping right at the beginning to make the reader understand how the world is built and how it works, I started it right at an important point in the story. No one knows anything about how things work, but, as the characters speak to each other, they talk about so many things that the reader catches things and pieces together how all things are organized.

Don’t try to explain everything. Tying with I said before, if you have a very good idea of how things work, how the characters relate to each other, how they react and how they think, you won’t need to info-dump. I usually think I’m seeing my characters going about their day and that is ALL I’m describing: what they are saying, feeling, thinking and doing. If I feel something is missing for people to fully understand, then I add something quite minimal to help. But I don’t overexplain: people are intelligent and they can piece things together.

Don’t go full Marvel movies and explain everything as if no one can understand unless you say it. Go Nolan and try to make people understand with images, feelings, glances, metaphors and such. It’s very effective in writing! (Don’t get me wrong, I do like Marvel movies, but they have become those kinds of movies that require little mental effort because literally everything will be explained in a huge monologue or through dialogue. You don’t always need dialogues – and if you say “oh that’s too ambiguous and people won’t be certain about it” that’s the beauty of art: it’s always up to interpretation)

Having someone to read and give you feedback might be very helpful too. I have a few friends every now and then I send some of my stories so they’ll read and give me an honest feedback. I try to listen to their opinions and refine my work – but if I think they critique doesn’t make sense, I thank them anyway and keep on doing my thing. Like I said, know when to take what makes sense and when let go of something that doesn’t. Also: feedback is NOT a personal attack. DON’T TAKE IT TO HEART. See it always as something you may need to improve – and you’ll improve quicker.

At the end of the day, writing is art. And all art is relative.

Your art will be great to some and horrible to others – and that’s ok! Again, learn to NOT make it personal (the critiques, I mean, because art is always personal and that’s wonderful, I think).

And repeat after me: you will not please everyone. The point is to make yourself proud. You’ll find your people along the way.

Do it because you love. Do it because it comes from your heart, from your soul. The world has become so filled with content, mindlessly created by artificial intelligence so we will keep consuming, that things have lost so much of their soul.

To make art, to write, is to have soul. If you have that heart, that passion in your work, it will show – and people will follow. When you sit to write, don’t make it a chore, don’t make it an aesthetic tiktok post, don’t follow the routine of this or that famous artist – do what you have to do and let your heart flow. Do it for you.

I think that’s the main advice I can give. Don’t do content to post on social media and look good, do your art. Push your boundaries, test new things, write in ways you never did before, but do your thing.

When everyone is doing the same thing over and over again, you’ll realize your words will stand out by doing what you want to do.

Again thanks for attending my TED Talk xD

[radioiaci]

Wanted to answer all the nice things I was given in one post, so find them under the read-more cuz it's long. <3

@radiiosugars ⧐ you are a wonderful writer and i enjoy seeing your portrayal! I smile when you're on my dash <3 the little details you include with his perspective really do paint a picture! (and i hope your day gets better! )

WEH THANK YOU SO MUCH SALT, you're a blessing and I wholeheartedly appreciate whenever you spam me on Discord with SILLIES even though I don't always have the capacity to respond right away fjkdjgjdg I LOVE YOUR PORTRAYAL AND YOUR ART TOO and thank you for the kindness 😭

@copaceticjillybean ⧐ You are…soooo good at stuff! Your Alastor portrayal, your art, it’s all just really really cool! I’m always so excited, when I see you post your animatics, or a new drawing, or a reply, because I know it’s gonna brighten up my day a bit! ; I know you’re having a hard time today, but I just wanted you to know that I think you’re really neat and good at what you do. ^w^ ; Oh, and I almost forgot- you’re also just FUN. Like, your ooc posts are just cute and funny, and I like seeing you pop on and tell us what you’re thinking. You’re easy to talk to, and that means a lot, especially for someone like me who can get nervous talking with people >u<;

AAAA THANK YOU, I really do try to be as approachable as possible given the type of person that I am, so I really don't want anyone to feel like they CAN'T talk to me. sometimes the RPC can feel really limited and exclusive and I like to change that in whatever way I can. you are always very kind and fun to write with as well AND I CAN'T WAIT to see what sort of sillies Alastor and Jillian can get up to

@helluvaflames ⧐ I love the way you write Alastor and I'm still loving writing Fizzarolli and him in these scenes. You write Alastor so well and its been so fun to get to know him through our threads!

YES THANK YOU YOU GET ME, I love writin' with your lil Fizzy too! I'm also excited for Alastor and Angel's "date" LOL I'm sure there will be RIDICULOUSNESS there, just knowing how they generally interact. Thank you for putting up with me and my silly deer boy!!

@tinyfieryghost ⧐ YOUR ART IS SIMPLY INCREDIBLE. I love how you draw Alastor and writing with you is always a pleasure! I also love how you write Alastor! Silly guy who can and will murder and maim!!! Also you're great to talk to in general!

LISTEN YOU, YOUR ART IS ALSO PHENOMENAL and I didn't think I genuinely would get as invested into Alastor/Ghost's relationship but him in my brain was just like? ? ? ? "this one is mine? ? ?? actually???" so I MEAN IT JUST HAPPENED THAT WAY and I'm not mad about it. I'M EXCITED for Al's encounter with Reaper fr fr and I love writing with you!!!

@visage-of-hell ⧐ *violently kicks in the door* DID SOMEONE SAY POSITIVITY???? ; Bitch, you're one of the most TALENTED fuckers I know on this site. Amazing writing style? Check. Brilliant character portrayal? Check. AND knock-your-socks-off gorgeous artistic skills to boot???? Dude, you are a triple threat of sheer creative genius--don't you DARE be doubting that for even a second!

WUH HUH BUH LISTEN you are ALSO very talented and I VERY MUCH love writing with Al and Vis together because they're a real ENEMY TO LOVER ARC MAYBE? AND I KNOW IT'S SLOW MOVING BECAUSE ALASTOR IS STUPID but I LOVE IT ALSO??? Thank you my friend, I love to talk with you too and share funny sillies and fawn over them being so STUPID

@damnedrainbows ⧐ //you’re one of my favorite alastors and truthfully I admired from the sidelines for a while because I felt inadequate hehehehe I can!t wait to interact with our muses more and see where it go for him and lucifer ; also forgot to tack on, amazing artist ; like seriously I link my friends your art all the time on discord lol

WHAT???? ONE OF UR FAVS???? STOPPIT. That always means a ton to me, especially because I know how many TALENTED and wonderful writers there are playing Alastor out there so that RLY MAKES ME FEEL GOOD AND VALUED and YOUR writing is also fantastic! Al/Lucifer's first thread is so weirdly deep after starting off as like almost a meme and I'm LIVING for it LOL. AND I'M GLAD YOU LIKE MY ART LMAO maybe some day I'll draw something like actual serious for people to share jgdljgd but I enjoy drawing shitpost Al too much BUT THANK YOU this means a lot.

@lilitophidian ⧐ HEEEEY YOU, I LOVE YOUR LITTLE DEER, AND WE GOT SOME DOPE ASS SHIT GOING ON LIKE??? your writing is so fucking good I wanna do more threads with you at some point even though I have verbal diarrhea ; BUT YOU DESERVE THE BEST LIKE I TAKE TIME ON MY REPLIES TO YOU SO THEY ARE GOOD EATS??? Like, let me love on ya!!! ; Also your art ; I'd tattoo the pink dress wearing Alastor on my body fr

MY LIL DEER BOY YES I'M SO EXCITED for him to be.... tortured... mercilessly (that sounds bad LMAO) but LISTEN we are both wordy and I do NOT hate that one bit, I EAT IT UP YUMYUM gimmi all that good good exposition and artsy prose I LOVE that shit and you do it SO WELL. Also thank you for recommending frilly pink dress Alastor, I think he will never live that one down LMAO.

@ducktastic-dad ⧐ you are SO funny and sweet pascall, i love writing with you ( and your writing is amazing obviously i cannot live without it ) but even just our conversations ooc bring me lots of joy !! you have fantastic art and i am FLOORED by how creative you are ! thank you for making me funny shitposts and indulging my horrible brainrot 😭💜

I'M GRABBING YOU AND SHAKING YOU BY THE SHOULDERS listen the fact that you have put up with my dumbass over the last few weeks just constantly spamming you with radioapple shit means that you should get some type of AWARD HONESTLY. every IC interaction we have is so good and whenever you reply I'm like *VACCUUM NOISES* as i ABSORB IT. YOU're the one indulging MY horrible brainrot and u know what there's something beautiful about that. THANK YOU ily ily

--------------

Thank you all for such kind words, it really did make me feel better about my poopy day. <3

[pralinesims]

Heeey, Evan, since you're one of these three people in my notifications and I want to know MORE about your amazing OCs (I truly adore them, I just- every single post about your OCs and facts about them make me squeke skskss, because I'm so so happy to learn more about them!), and your writing is amazing and I can't get enough of it and I hope you're having a really great time of the day!! I hope you're doing well!! 💗🥺🥺 I love you! :') Sending you hugs and running away sksksksks

When you get this, list 3 facts about your favorite sim and send it to the last 3 people in your notifications! Let's get to know each other's sims!💞

OLYAAA!! You should seriously just put a mirror up in front of your screen and reflect back everything you've said to me, cause I honestly think the exact same things about your OC's T_T Thank you SO much omg <3 (also don't run away, I need to hug you baaack)

I think I'm choosing Luca for this one again, as I have tons of lore accumulated around him.

His name actually used to be spelled Luka! (As in his family, everyone with a C/K/Q sounding letter in their name has it spelled with a K.) During the process while he wanted to remove all the remnants and memories connecting him to his family, he desired to choose another name aswell. But he got used too much to being called Luka, as he went his whole life with that name, and couldn't really decide for one that he felt better with, so he simply went with a different spelling of it to make it feel different, and well, he's Luca now.

When he initially heard the news of his father's passing, it invoked mixed feelings in Luca, despite hating him intensively. Following after that, he went on a 5-days streak of partying, which he can only barely remember (other than the resulting hangover, which was probably the worst of his whole life).

Got into drag through one of his friends that happened to be a drag queen, who urged him to just try it out. Luca liked the process of the styling and the roleplaying aspect so much, that it became one of his fav creative outlets, and even evolved into a nice method of earning money through perfoming some shows.

[casualhedonists]

firstly i apologize for how long this is going to be 😭

i was so emotional as i read attention cuz i just KNEW that there would be an ending eventually, and ofc, i never wanted attention to end. but you wrapped it up SOOOO beautifully! i feel so bad that i can't capture HOW amazing of a read that was in words!! trust me, attention means so so much to me. whenever i thought "i can't wait until chapter 6 comes out!" my anxiety kicked in because i knew that when chapter 6 came out.... it would be over. and that day is here

reading this was like eating your favorite chocolate. every single bite being enjoyable... something you'd think back on days later and crave for more. never getting tired of it.

honestly, its amazing how there is SO much creativity and wonderful fanfics on tumblr... for free? ITS INSANE. as i was reading it i kept saying "this is crazy!" i mean, i couldn't believe?? the plot twist?? the dialogue?? the pacing?? the list could go ON! forever. also you are SO sweet and kind 🫶🫶

i honestly thought she would be furious about what happened to greene... like my jaw dropped as SOON as her mom told her that he was sent to be a peacekeeper. at that moment i KNEW it was all snows fault. i seriously felt like it was over for them... like a whole fight scene was about to take place and she would move out, leading to snow being destroyed, alone, teary eyed and begging her to stay... that wouldve crushed me. i'm so glad she felt the complete opposite.

it's was SO interesting to think back on and see her progress. at first she was desperate, trying to win snow over by playing his games, trying to turn the tables and make snow become weak for her. but eventually she got the idea, and now SHE dominates HIM. it was neat seeing things come full circle!! now he's getting a taste of his own medicine (pun intended?)!!

also medicine is like... god i mean, do i even??? one of my top harry songs. SO GOOD!!!! do you also listen to him?? if so i can recommend other (more unknown) songs of his that give the same vibe if you'd like!

i am REALLY excited for your future works!!!! i admire your writing style and how talented you are. tbh you're the reason i'm inspired to start my own fanfic. but honestly, i'm scared because it is SO difficult thinking of a good storyline and plot... my brain is blank. i feel like every thing i think of sounds generic and cliche which puts me in a writers block. (do you have any tips?)

thank you so much for taking the time to read this!! i hope you have an amazing day!!

-💐

flower nonnie you. can have my whole heart here *carves it out walks it to fedex and mails it to you w next day delivery*

i read this first thing yesterday and it MADE MY WHOLE DAY i swear. like im so happy you enjoyed the fic so much, this is so much more than i could ever hope for as a response and it means the world to me that you’d set aside time to type out such a sweet message. it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to attention bc it is The Fic that brought me into this fandom (and out of my fic writing block) and it means so much to me bc it’s been so fun and it makes me so happy to know people feel that way when reading it. i had the final line written since (chapter 3?? i think) so i always knew that’s how i’d close it off and it was SO satisfying getting to type that last line in.

also it was sooo much fun to write her little mastermind by taylor swift moment (what if i told you none of it was accidental etc etc) and also yes omg i love harry (mostly his unreleased songs tbh!! like baby honey, medicine, talk, complicated freak) and ofc the usual suspects like kiwi and sign of the times and harry’s house. i am so so open to more song recs!! esp unreleased or lesser known ones!

in terms of writing tips, i wrote down a little thing a while back here but my main thing is to write what you want to read. that’s all i’ve ever done in fic and personal writing projects/poetry of mine. if you write for only yourself you can never go wrong imo, everything else is just topping. so start there, doesn’t matter if it’s been done before, so long as it makes you happy!! (one day i should tell the story of my first fic that actually got read by people online it was a whole journey that started with me assuming nobody would ever see it but me)

okay this is getting long i’ll close out now but thank you sweet anon for the kind words, i can’t even tell you how much they mean to me!! you are truly too kind!! 🤍🤍🤍

[kae-karo]

Hey kae, just wanted to drop by to say I really love your fics! The characters always feel so in character, and I love the various ways you describe things. I was wondering if you had any general tips for writing for beginners? And any tips for writing characters that feel in character? Thank you so much, and have an amazing day!

AWE hi dear this is so sweet omg ????? 🥺🥺🥺 i'm so so glad u feel that way !!! this got long so uhhhhhh most of it'll be below the cut lmao

honestly i think my biggest overall writing tip (both for beginners and anyone, really lmao) is to follow inspiration and just write. write the scene you can't get out of your head, write the thing some song lyric inspired, write the silly situation or dialogue that some meme made you think of, write the heart-shattering angst that spilled out from a 'what if' scenario, just write anything that you're inspired to write. don't worry about the quality of it, just get it down somewhere

fr that's the most critical part of writing, so like. first and foremost, just write. i mean it's the most memed one too, like every other writing meme is abt blank gdocs and managing to get down three whole words and whatever, but like. that's the biggest hurdle tbh? everything else can come after

and in the after part is where u can focus on improving the """quality""" (quotes bc quality is subjective !!!!!!) honestly this is a twofold thing, cause honing both writing and editing skills takes time and that's okay, but as with a lot of creative crafts, it helps to seek out what you enjoy - the authors who write with metaphors you really like, or who describe scenes or characters or clothing or whatever it is in ways that really appeal to you, the ones who write the most interesting or fun or heart-wrenching dialogue, the ones with worldbuilding that feels so seamless or intriguing, the ones that know how to build suspense or craft a really compelling character/relationship arc, whatever it is, work on honing your senses to seek out those specific things in those fics! how are those authors doing it? what word choice or sentence structure or narrative closeness to or distance from the character's point of view gives the perspective you prefer? how are they foreshadowing, if at all? what methods are they using to create the emotions or feeling that you notice?

and honestly figuring a lot of that stuff out takes time and it takes reading!!! which like. probably as a writer you're doing anyway!!! but doing it with some focus and going from 'oh shit i loved that story' to 'oh shit i loved [these specific aspects of it]' to 'oh shit, this is the WAY they did those things i liked, maybe i can try them sometime' is really powerful when it comes to building your writing wheelhouse and shepherding it toward writing you personally enjoy. and i mean this very seriously, look for what you personally enjoy. not everyone is gonna appeal to you, and even some of the 'best' writers are not going to do things in ways that you personally like!!! please don't strive to write in ways you don't like just cause someone else thinks they're great!! there are some incredible writers out there that i just personally don't vibe with their writing style and i don't want to write like them!!! but that doesn't mean they're not good, it just means they aren't for me personally! (and on a side note, knowing what you dislike is also helpful and can point you away from writing tactics or methods that u don't enjoy)

i'll also add that what's probably tricky (as it is for a lot of creative endeavors) is the 'i'm not where i want to be yet' feeling - you know what you want, you know what you're going for, and you feel like your writing hasn't hit that point yet. and this is the hardest piece of advice to take and to do, but like. you gotta just write it anyway lmao. like you have to get comfortable with going 'this isn't what i want it to be yet but i'm going to write it and i'm going to be proud of what i've done even if it isn't perfect'. and maybe that includes posting if you're planning to post stuff !!!! post the stuff that isn't perfect !!!!! i'm so so serious about this btw like. get comfortable with writing stuff (and posting it) if it's not perfect. this is critical. it will never Be perfect but that's not the point the point is to have fun while you're doing it and work on guiding yourself toward writing you enjoy even more as you go

cause like (and this ties back to my point about seeking out things you enjoy while reading and analyzing how they're accomplished by other writers) the more you enjoy what you're doing, the better it will be. this is just. like. a genuine and sincere fact, if you are having a good time with it, it'll be fun to read. so aim for that feeling and you'll be in a good place, i promise

as for writing characters more 'in-character'! i'd say this has two key parts, the first half is just dipping a toe into their canon dialogue, canon experiences, interactions, etc. having a good general sense of their character can help pave the way for the 'in-character' feeling!! if it's helpful for you, it can be nice to put some thought into a brief summary of the character in question - i'll use kaeya as an example, i often focus on his tendency for keeping his cards close to his chest, the internal battle with honesty and revealing anything personal, and his outwardly carefree attitude as some key goalposts when i'm writing. and sometimes there are others that are more relevant to specific stories i'm working on, or some of the goalposts can change or be less significant to a story, but i generally aim for having a few key markers that allow me to set up the second half of the 'in-character'-ness

the second half then being motivation - basically, once i have my character staked out, i want to figure out how their motivation in this particular story fits within those goalposts. and sometimes it doesn't completely fit, or the goalposts it fits in are different from what i originally was considering! or there's some aspects that get a little less important based on the motivation in a specific story! but the key i think to really making a character feel 'in-character' is consistency - do their motivations make sense for how they're being portrayed? cause at the end of the day (and some people may feel slightly different about this but i think it's a good rule of thumb if 'in-character'-ness is a concern) there's never going to be a perfectly in-character character, right, like the whole point of fic is that you're putting them in New situations that didn't happen in canon lmao. but if you can convince me that the character, with their motivation influenced by these key goalposts of their characterization, would do or act or think a certain way, that is what truly makes a character feel 'in-character'

and the way this manifests would be something like, a couple really straightforward examples:

kaeya choosing to hide a wound from the knights because he doesn't want jean or lisa or anyone butting into his shadier interactions because they might get hurt, and he can handle himself (playing on his evident care for others in spite of his cool attitude, his typical carefree facade, and his desperate self-reliance)

kaeya threatening someone for scaring klee (leaning into his darker and possibly dangerous side as well as his protective nature, especially toward klee)

kaeya battling with some fallout of his khaenri'ahn ancestry coming to light (playing on his facade and its possible fragility, his uncertain relationship with his past/his family, and his history with diluc the night of their fight)

ANYWAY all of that to say that motivation based in key points of a characterization can be extremely effective in convincingly painting a character as 'in-character'

also in a broader sense, and depending on how 'close' to a character's perspective you want to be (i'll just add that i prefer to be as close to a character as possible, so if you're more a fan of writing omnisciently, this might not be as helpful!!) it helps to think about how a character might think or speak in a broader sense beyond just exact dialogue/etc?

like, a good extreme example would be zhongli - he tends to speak with a more archaic or formal vernacular, especially when compared to childe, for example. depending on the scenario, childe might use some more formal vocabulary (ie around the tsaritsa), but it doesn't seem as likely that his internal monologue would feel super formal

another extreme would be writing from a kid's pov! they aren't likely to use huge words or complex sentence structure (take a look at klee's canon dialogue from the event!) and their metaphors/analogies might be a little different from an adult's or a teen's

all of that really just helps put the cherry on top of a convincing characterization though! i personally don't find it particularly offputting to a characterization if the internal dialogue is a little different from what i personally would imagine or assume lmao

PHEW okay all of that said i will do my lil tl;dr which is:

WRITE oh my god write!!!! follow your inspiration and put words down somewhere!! do this as much as you feel inspired to do so!!! (and take breaks!!)

HAVE FUN do whatever u gotta do to make it an enjoyable time!

READ stuff from writers you enjoy, and practice picking out the things that seem to contribute to what you enjoy

BE CONVINCING with consistency between a character's motivations and the things you're painting as key parts of their characterization in a story. 'convincing' beats 'perfect' characterization every time i promise

HAVE FUN seriously i'm saying it twice cause it's so important if you're writing and it doesn't feel fun, take a step back and consider what about it would make it more fun. then do that instead!!

tyty for the ask dear and i hope this helps!! <3

[taintedpearls]

not an ask but you are so talented! i love your work and your writing style! it's so organized, creative and immersed. started reading sidelines and i couldn't stop. super excited for part two, literally the wait is eating me alive. also i read the headcannon for roommate ellabs and i absolutely loved it. don't know how else to describe it but painfully accurate. i know both of those works were a collab and just wanted to say that you and @satellitespinner make a great them and i look forward to seeing more collabs as well as the completed ellabs fanfic. hope you're having a good day/night and can't wait to see more of your work!

oh my gosh 🥹🥹 you're so kind, thank you so much 🤍 we've started planning the second chapter already and it'll hopefully be out soon. seriously though thank you so much, this is so sweet and you've made my night! there's more personal fics coming out soon as well ♡ hope you're having an amazing day/night lovely 💗