#non English writer

[saltwaterinks-blog]

Chapters: 1/30 Fandom: One Piece (Anime & Manga) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Portgas D. Ace/Reader Characters: Portgas D. Ace, Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco, Thatch (One Piece), Izou (One Piece) Additional Tags: Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Verse, Omega fushichou marco, Alpha Portgas D. Ace, Omega Monkey D. Luffy, Omega Reader, Alpha Thatch, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Thatch Dies, No beta reader, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, non-traditional relationships i guess, Pirates Summary:

Omega Reader gets saved by Ace who just joined the Whitebeard Pirates officially.

Turns out she could be his fated mate? She is going join the Whitebeard Pirates?? Will Ace finally accept love??? Is Marco ever getting a peacefull afternoon for himself?!

I'm bad at summarys and english isn't my first language (y-y )

[spiritusdei]

Has writing fanfiction helped you guys with your English?

Has writing fanfiction helped you guys with your English? (question to non-native English speakers).

I’m writing my MA thesis about the impact of writing fanfiction on English skills and proficiency, as well as on several individual differences.

Could you take some time to fill out my questionnaire? I would be forever grateful <3 It's a bit long, but I wanted to conduct a comprehensive study.

[welcometogrouchland]

I understand that literature nerd Jason Todd is kind of overblown in fanon compared to it's actual presence in canon (a few issues during his pre (and post?)crisis Robin tenure that highlight it) BUT consider that I think it's hilarious if the unhinged gun toting criminal has strong opinions on poetry

[theorist-fox]

"Theo! I wanna write stories of my favourite fictional characters fighting for their lives, solving mysteries, surviving an apocalypse, finding love, and getting railed into next Tuesday—but I’m not confident in my English since it's not my first language.

What can I do?"

Well—

Have a seat, my sweet, and let cranky ol' Theo take you on a journey to reach (almost) unshakable confidence in your second (third? fourth? fifth? damn 🧐) language.

I’m going to assume everyone here has had a reasonable smattering of English ever since they were young, because yes—I just know that if you’re here and English isn’t your first language, you’ve been studying it ever since you were a kid.

However, if you haven’t, let me introduce you to:

Step 0. Get started!

English grammar is relatively easy, especially when compared to other languages (i.e. Italian grammar is a nightmare, Spanish grammar is a nightmare, French grammar is… my sleep paralysis demon).

There are several sites you can consult to train your English, and the most well-rounded one (I used to steal exercises from it when I helped my niece with her English homework) is BBC Learning English. 

It has videos, subjects are divided into units and each unit has straightforward exercises that are promptly corrected.

Unfortunately, most sites have a paywall.

To keep training your English, Duolingo is still an incredibly effective app. It’s free, packed with exercises, and you can start at any level you want!

Don’t make the owl mad and keep training, even if it's only a handful of minutes a day. Take notes on a notepad as you go, and review them as you would during a normal school lecture. In other words: study the thing!

Step 1. Live English-ly

Go on about your day, but do it in English. 

Consume media like you’re a black hole sucking the Englishness out of everything around you. 

Watch films in English. 

Start easy, and choose animated features—they’re often directed to younger audiences hence the English they use is simple and direct. Put subtitles in your first language initially, and when you think you’ve gained enough confidence, switch to English Dub and English Sub.

Take notes of words you like, and idioms—hell, those work like a charm and make you look more confident in the language!

Keep your phone nearby and type in anything new, or jot it down on paper, on a napkin, wherever—as long as you store it somewhere safe for future reference.

Read books and fics in English

It doesn’t matter if the writer’s first language isn’t English, because you can still learn from anything.

If you don’t know a word, don’t skim over it even if you understand the meaning from the context. Look up the translation online and put it down somewhere you can easily refer to when writing!

When you feel confident enough, instead of searching for:

“XXX translation in XYZ language”,

look for:

“XXX meaning”.

This latter passage is important, because, more often than not, English words can change their meaning based on the context.

Example: “Funny”

“This is a funny joke” = This joke makes you laugh;

“My stomach feels funny” = Your stomach is not being tickled, but there’s something wrong with your stomach.

Read the news in English. 

This will help you develop a more formal language, allowing you to absorb concepts that aren't normally found in a fic/movie/book. Not only that, but the structure of a journalistic article can help you with the formatting. 

The main goal of the news is to give you information that is straight to the point. Most newspapers articles have the best formatting.

Paragraphs are direct and succinct; they contain the information you’re looking for and keep you focused.

That’s what you want to do with your audience: feed intel that keeps them fastened to your story, bit by bit. Paragraph by paragraph.

Step 2. 🎶 MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC 🎶

Listen to music in English, but not only for the vibe.

The wonderful thing about music is that singers don’t follow the rules: they’ll sing with their accent if they like (Stormzy, Hozier, Little Simz), or they’ll change where the accent falls on a word just to make it fit the melody.

Catch the words, try to understand the lyrics without reading through them, and then check them out later.

This is a good, fun way to train your ear and learn new words, while also 1) healing your soul because music is beautiful, and 2) having a good fucking time.

Step 3. Podcasts & YouTube videos

While many platforms offer free podcasts specifically designed for learning English, those created for other purposes are another fun way to train your ear and, above all, learn slang.

Now, as a Call of Duty fanfiction aficionado, I always strive to make my British men as British as can be. The British-est of them all.

I watch British YouTubers, I listen to British podcasters, watch movies made in the UK with British actors, and I listen to British artists and British music.

Do the same thing if you’re looking for a specific accent or dialect!

I understand that most YouTubers end up Americanizing themselves due to the dominance of American media, but you’d be surprised by how many keep their roots intact instead!

Step 4. Talk to yourself

Yes you read right.

Your first language isn’t English? We do not care in this household. 

What you wanna do is speak it daily. Talk to yourself, baby. Train that pronunciation.

Pretend you're Sherlock Holmes when you're looking for that thing you lost in the house—bonus if you add "Elementary, my dear Watson" if your pet is nearby!

Pretend you’re a cowboy and say Howdy to yourself in the mirror!

I’ll be honest with you: this is the only way I come up with dialogues. 

I have entire arguments with myself in bed, and sometimes I spontaneously say something that I think would fit X character.

Man, it's cathartic too, in a way. And I always win the argument—big plus, that one.

Step 5. Don’t change to fit in

This is my favourite thing about writing.

I'm just a lil Italian lady, and Italian sentence structure is completely different from the English.

We are chatty, we talk your ear off. Our sentences are long and structured; we could fit an entire concept into a single paragraph without ever putting a period in the sentence.

English, on the other hand, is much more direct. Shorter sentences and no convolutions whatsoever.

I tried to fit in, but alas I am chatty, and while sometimes I manage, other times I simply don’t—and that’s okay.

Weave your first language and culture into your English stories—this can become your signature as a writer!

Step 6. Make mistakes

The most ancient (and hated) tip of all times is “Learn from your mistakes”. 

I know, I know, I am also a perfectionist. I also go through a story at least four thousand times before I post it, and by the time I’m ready to click “Post now”, I hate it with all my guts (hell, this guide has mistakes, somewhere).

You’d be surprised how many people think differently, though

However, sometimes it will flop.

It’ll flop so hard you’ll end up wallowing in bed, ready to quit your hobby for good because you suck and that’s the only reasonable explanation.

When you’re done crying, however, sit down in front of your fic and analyze it.

Was the grammar fucked? Check it again. 

Have you used a trope so niche only three people are interested in it? Well, in that case, it didn't flop, did it? It just reached a small target audience.

Are the “Trigger Warnings” too much for the majority of people to handle? Is the fic too heavy? Too light? Too weird? It's okay! Sometimes your work won't be everyone's cup of tea. Sometimes you'll be the only one who'll like that type of tea.

You’ll flop and you’ll hate yourself and other people for it.

Don’t let it consume you, don’t resent the fandom for not clicking on your story. Don't resent native speakers because you think writing is easier for them—writing is never easy.

Fucking hell, I can’t write in my first language as comfortably as I do in English.

Listen to constructive criticism—ask for constructive criticism. Learn, learn, and learn.

And if some people are mean to you, if they tell you to never write again—flip ‘em the bird.

You’re allowed to say "Fuck You" to assholes.

Step 7. Ask for help

There is a community around you, ask for help.

English is not your first language, but it is for other people.

Be mindful and polite—some people will be open to helping, others won’t, and that’s more than fair. It’s not their job to teach you, but there’s no harm in reaching out.

Literally, conversations with my British friends sometimes go like this:

Step 8. Use resources

Writing resources are all over Tumblr, and all over the rest of the Internet too.

When I don’t want to bother someone because every one of us has a real life outside of social media, the Internet can still be your friend.

These are my favourite places:

WordHippo (Thank you @/void-my-warranty, we all say in unison): rich in synonyms categorized by meaning (much better alternative to TheSaurus)

r/AskABrit: subreddit dedicated to questions you might have regarding the English language and life in the UK. There is a "r/AskA___" subreddit for everything, to be honest—just look for it!

The Cranky Bint’s Guide to Brit-Picking: “A basic guide to Brit-picking your fics. It also explains some common cultural differences, and gives a list of your more basic swear words.” This is my treasure trove.

OneLook TheSaurus (Thank you @/staytrueblue, we all say in unison): allows you to find words based on the description you give it. Wonderful tool for non-native speakers who know the concept, but lack the vocabulary!

Step 9. Read, watch, listen

Writing is grammar, true.

Writing is beautifully constructed sentences that flow like water beneath your eyes and fill you with emotions you never knew were possible.

But writing is also substance.

Think of your imagination as a car—you gotta give it fuel, baby, or it won’t go anywhere.

Your mind can take you to every nook and cranny of the world—the one you know and the ones you don’t—but it won’t get far if you don’t explore the possibilities.

Read books in any language, watch movies in any language, observe life happening around you.

Look at yourself, too.

You are a story, already.

Pick bits and pieces of your life and place them in a character. Remember conversations that tore the heart out of your chest, or those that tickled you just right.

There’s a whole world around you waiting to inspire you. Use it!

Step 10. Have fun, goddamnit!

Theo, I just wrote the most disgusting piece of smut/gore/whatever of my entire life in a fugue state what do I do?

Did you have fun?

Yes

GOOD. Others will have fun reading it, too.

Don’t be afraid. You’re using a damn alias, for fuck’s sake—and so are the people reading your work!

This is your chance to be your unabashed self—but always be kind and mindful to other writers and your readers.

Have fun, pour it all out, and share it with the world.

Enjoy this.

It's a hobby that not only helps you overcome language insecurities, but also uncovers parts of yourself you never knew were there.

Now go, my sweet. You are ready. I say, placing my hand over your head in blessing

Write your heart out, tell your stories, and enjoy the ride.

This is what it’s all about.

With all my love,

—Theoristfox🦊

[sabo-has-my-heart]

Writing Help For Non-English Speakers 2

Back by popular demand! Writing Help For Non-English Speakers! So whether you're one of my followers, saw this on a friend's timeline, or just randomly passed by and saw this, this is the second part of a post I made to help non-English speakers. You're learning English or you can read English or whatever but you're just not confident in writing in English yet. Or heck, some of these lessons are great even for those who do speak English! These lessons are to (hopefully) help those who want to write in English, write well! These aren't some more of the basic rules, but are still useful rules, skills, or aids to (again, hopefully) make your writing sound better.

Writing Help For Non-English Speakers Part 1

Lesson 1: Affect vs Effect. So I won’t lie, this is something I struggle with constantly. I’ve heard various ways of remembering which is which and I still fail at using them properly. If I’m being honest, I literally avoid this when at all possible. That being said, I will give the definitions and the supposed help that I’ve heard. So the first thing, what I was told would supposedly help me. A as in Affect refers to Actions; E as in Effect refers to the End result. Affect is a Verb, an action word. Effect is (usually) a noun (Apparently), an object word. Now onto the definitions. 

Affect: have an effect on; make a difference to, to produce an effect on. Example: The flood affected the crops, How does smoke affect your lungs? The weather can affect your mood.

Effect: a change which is a result or consequence of an action or other cause. cause (something) to happen; bring about. Example: The effects of a healthy diet are good for your body. His sunburn was an effect of exposure to the sun. The medication had mild side effects. (Congratulations, I’ve also learned something new today, here’s hoping I actually remember this)

Lesson 2: Older crowds, Newer Words. So if you’re like me, you’re part of the ‘older crowd’ (terrifying, I know). You’re 30+ years old meaning that you went through grades 1-8 believing that Pluto was a planet and Irregardless wasn’t in the #&%@(!@#&%# dictionary (and neither was bootylicious)!!!! That being said, times have changed and so have a lot of other things. That being said, while the young crowds of today (8-25?) might not mind using irregardless, there are a lot of older fans with big vocabularies that you can draw in by using regardless or other such words. I won’t fault you for using irregardless, English isn’t your first language and you’re probably going to get a lot from the internet. That being said, I personally hate irregardless. If you’re uncertain, curious, or just plain bored, I’m sure you can search the internet for when words were officially entered into the dictionary, when they became commonplace, or just suggestions on what else to use.

Lesson 3: Proper Words. This is in a similar vein as newer words. I’ve seen so very, very many people from Millennials to Gen Alpha, that do this. It is the laziest, most uninspired, weakest writing I have ever seen. People who write “u r the gr8est person to evr live. U r the most amzing worker and do so much great stuff.” As a writer, an english speaker, and someone who was taught decent english, this is the single quickest way to lose me. “You’re the greatest person to have ever lived. Both as the best employee at work and the multiple great things you’ve done.” Now your writing doesn’t have to look just like this. It doesn’t have to be written just like this, but at least don’t use “u r” for “you are” or “gr8” for “great”. PLEASE!!!

Lesson 4: Emphasis (bold and Italics): Many of you have probably noticed this in my own writing. When I decide to put emphasis on something, I use bold or italics. Now, it’s best to choose one or the other before starting what you write rather than to switch between the two. For example: “how could you? You were my life?!” yes, usually the reader can tell that they’re both emphasis, but it gets a little odd if you’re constantly switching between them. Furthermore, in all of my events, I add prompts for each fic. I then put the prompt in bold while I put emphasis in italics. In this way, I’m able to show emphasis on what needs emphasis and also note the spot where I added the prompt. (For the record, I don’t need to put the prompt in bold, it’s just a personal choice I made to do so.)

Lesson 5: Giggle vs. chuckled. So this is probably one of the most common mistakes I see in non-English speakers. I understand. Both of them are sort of a light laugh. Not a full laugh, but show amusement and can add to a scene. However, there’s a difference between giggling and chuckling. For starters, giggling is higher pitched while chuckling is usually lower pitched. The sound all the cute anime girls make during a romantic scene when they’re all shy and blushing? That’s usually a giggle. That low, dark sound the male villain makes as he lords his ‘victory’ over the heroes? That’s typically a chuckle. Men typically do not giggle. It’s not that they can’t, I’ve heard grown men giggle, just that they usually chuckle or laugh lightly. 

     While we’re on the topic of laughs, there’s your normal, typical laugh. The sound you usually make when you’re happy. There’s a loud boisterous laugh; if you’ve ever watched Demon Slayer, this is the laugh that Rengoku usually has. It’s a loud, deep, hearty, full chested laugh. There are cackles; these are loud, but are typically harsher and sharper. Though they can be long, in my experience, they’re typically shorter. There’s nervous laughs. Now there’s two types of nervous laughs. Nervous shy laughs and nervous suspicious laughs. Nervous shy laughs are those small laughs that are more than giggles less than a full laugh that the male lead gives when he confesses to his crush. The sound that the girl makes when she make a small word mistake during her big job interview. It’s the sound of a person trying to laugh off a moment when they’re nervous. A nervous suspicious laugh is, well, suspicious. It’s when the criminal is trying to appear innocent but actually has 300 puppies crammed in his van. When the cheating woman just threw her lover out the window and is trying to look like everything is normal with her husband.

     I shouldn’t go too much further into laughs before I go overboard, but if you want to know more, throw something into my inbox about laughs and laughs only. Just mention that you saw my Writing Help For Non-English Speakers and would like to hear more about laughs and laughter.

Lesson 6: Synonyms. Synonyms are your friend! Let’s say you’ve used the word ‘Amazing’ 5 times in the last 4 paragraphs. You’ve used it so much and it’s starting to seem a little overused. But wait! This next scene is so great! How else can you describe it other than amazing?! Well, that’s when you look up “Amazing Synonyms”. It was astonishing! Surprising! Stunning, staggering, confounding, sensational!!!! If you feel a word is starting to get overused in your writing, just remember that synonyms are your friend and that even English speakers sometimes need to look up synonyms for a word.

     On that same thread; Very. I’m mostly including this for my sister’s sake (who has a very (😄 *does finger guns*) large vocabulary. Very is an extremely overused word when you could use other, sometimes even better, words. My last sentence is a perfect example of this. I could have written “Very is a very overused….” but instead used extremely. Which word you choose can also change depending on what word you're using next. She was very beautiful -> She was gorgeous, she was stunning, she was captivating or bewitching. He was very poor -> he was penniless, he was destitute. My sister says her vocabulary isn’t ‘very large’ it’s ‘immense’. 

Lesson 7: Couldn’t care less: This is a pet peeve of both my sister and I. It’s one made by English speakers, non-English speakers, so many people. So, so very (*more finger guns*) many people. Those who make this mistake use “could care less” but this is potentially incorrect, depending on your meaning. “Could care less” means that you are capable of caring less. You can care less. She could probably care more for his well-being, but she could also care less. She still has some care for him. Couldn’t care less, on the other hand, means that you can not care less. You are incapable of caring less. There are no more fucks to give. When deciding whether to use could care less or couldn’t care less, think of it this way. Are there any fucks left to give? No? Use couldn’t (could not). If yes, there are fucks left to give, use could.

[thetalegatherer]

*I DID IT!!!*

I'm thrilled to announce that I've FINALLY completed my first long fic! It's called "Miss Crowley's Guide on How to Seduce a Man". It is inspired by @naromoreau and @summerofspock NAMDBAFM

The link is:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/58339480

As a non-native English speaker, writing an entire story in a language that isn't my own was a trying task. But with every word, every sentence, and every chapter, I pushed myself to keep going.

To everyone who read, commented, and encouraged me along the way: THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! Your kind words and enthusiasm fueled my passion, helping me overcome self-doubt.

[unma]

Don Quixote's excited energy is too strong. I have spent the last minute saying "Beach Volleyburr" to myself and laughing. I love her so much.

[prongsandpetals]

I feel like Jane Austen would’ve been an AO3 user

[ratnix]

Something that I think is really funny is that the word Anaklysmos (Riptide) doesn't even exist, it's just a combination of a suffix that means above and the verb κλύζω which means to ripple😭 [Help, even my Greek keyboard doesn't even recognize the word]

I read these books when I was 12 and as a native Greek speaker that also studied ancient Greek for 6 years, I fully thought this was an actual word because it sounds Greek but it's not 😭 Mf Rick Riordan gaslit me in my own language. Apparently he asked an ancient Greek professor and told him that this was the closest word he could use but like, my question is why😭? There are so many already existing words that are related to the sea and even if they don't directly translate to 'Riptide', just pick a Greek word and paraphrase it when translating it to English like it's not hard 😭

[creativepromptsforwriting]

Hello ! 😊

First of all, I read your Blog etiquette , and I hope I use it correctly. If not, please excuse me, I'm just kinda dense sometimes 😅

I wanted to ask you an advice on writing , if it's okay ...👉🏻👈🏻

I want to write and post Fics on my Tumblr but English is not my first language and I'm HELLA self conscious about my grammar and stuff ...

Do you have any advice for non-native speaker to get started and post stories in English please ?

( BTW, Keep writing : you're awesome 😘)

Hi and thank you for the compliment!

And yes, you've done everything right, thank you for reading it :)

As a non-native English speaker myself, I'll try to help you out with this issue. I have to be honest, I'm not sure when I started writing in English, but I believe it came quite natural to me, because our English classes are mostly like our German ones, so we would have to write whole stories and essays and stuff in English, so it was something I was already doing. And probably not doing it correctly all the time. And that is something that you will have to be ok with.

That there will be mistakes and there will be phrases that sound a little too stiff, sentences that are structured like your native language and words that don't have the same impact in English.

My suggestion would be to just start. Write little things. Don't be afraid to go back in and change a sentence when you later see that it's not exactly what you wanted to say. It's a learning curve and you will become more confident and you definitely will become better at it. For me personally, it was really helpful to read in English, to see how stories look like, how they explain what you want to explain, to find new words to incorporate.

And another advice would be: don't apologize beforehand that there will be a ton of mistakes, because it's not your first language. You can just put "not my first language" if you want people to know about it and if you maybe want feedback on grammar or something. But don't apologize. Even if the reader doesn't want to, it automatically makes them hyper-aware of mistakes. And you want them to enjoy your story, not focus on that.

Also remember: It's awesome that you are able to write in a different language. That is an accomplishment. And also, people make mistakes in their own language all the time. If you keep practicing then your mistakes won't be a distraction for the reader reading and enjoying your story. Even if there still are a few here or there.

I wish you all the best, my friend!

- Jana

[saltwaterinks-blog]

Chapter 2 is out!

Honestly I have rewritten so much that I'm scared to Producer continuity mistakes D:

In German I just write it down how I feel and done. But a soon as I write in English I forget like half of my vocabulary 🙃 I don't know why and I hope I doesn't sound like I'm using the same sentence over and over...

[the-blue-wraith]

If I ever feel insecure about my writing, I'll just remind myself that even though sometimes I struggle writing in English because it's not my native language, at least I don't use AI in writing ✨

[raiidsol]

yeah i guess it will always be me, my fanfiction, a non canon ship that awakes a monster in me, google translator and "english is not my first language" against the world..

[yourdailyqueer]

Tamsin Omond

Gender: Transgender non binary (they/them)

Sexuality: Queer

DOB: 19 November 1984  

Ethnicity: White - English

Occupation: Activist, writer, journalist

[anna-pineappel]

Curious: not sure if it’s because I’m Canadian writing fanfics, but does anyone else NOT write in American English and/or use metric system in their fics? (e.g. colour vs color; kms vs miles)

I definitely keep Canadian English spellings in my fics but I use what I call “Canadian” units for measurements: a weird mesh of imperial and metric systems (i.e. feet and inches for human heights, metres for lengths, etc. iykyk).

Reblog for sample size/curiosity!

[sabo-has-my-heart]

Writing Help For Non-English Speakers

Greetings dear followers! 

So I’ve got something a little different today. So I have a number of followers whose first language isn’t English. Obviously you know enough to enjoy my fics, but not enough to use it in your own writing. This is okay! In fact, if you want to write in your mother tongue, I encourage and endorse you! I won’t read it because I’m literally unable to, but I encourage it! That being said, I’ve noticed a good number of those who don’t speak English do still want to write in english. I’ve seen very many people who write in English who are very, very good and I’m glad they exist to share their works. That being said, English is one of the hardest languages for people to learn as a second, third, or fourth language. Even a lot of Americans struggle with it to a great degree. So, I decided to put together a small post of the basics that will help you write in English (if you do so please). Hopefully it won’t confuse anybody more, lol (laugh out loud). Also, please note, I’m a little scatter brained so I apologize if this reflects this.

Writing Help For Non-English Speakers Part 2

     Lesson 1: Paragraphs. Paragraphs are sections of writing composed of multiple sentences. Each of these lessons will actually be composed of separate paragraphs. A paragraph typically deals with one topic, one theme, one overarching idea. An example will be the paragraphs here. Each one is a different lesson, a different theme, etc. So if you’re writing and suddenly you want to switch to a different moment in time, somebody else’s perspective, or a different place, you should start a new paragraph. That being said, you don’t have to change topics when you start a new paragraph. It’s perfectly fine to start a new paragraph but continue the scene. Otherwise you end up with endless paragraphs that continue on forever. So separate it into paragraphs every now and again. Many ‘experts’ suggest paragraphs should be about 3-8 sentences long and/or contain no more than 150 words. That being said, we’re fic writers. I’ve had longer paragraphs. However, it’s important to learn the rules of writing before breaking them!

     Okay, I’ll be good and start this on a new paragraph. Besides, this is the perfect chance for an example. As I stated before, you can start a new paragraph but continue on the same topic as earlier. Here we have a new paragraph but the same topic! This one will also be a little shorter than the previous one because lesson one is coming to a close.My final statement on separating things into paragraphs is that paragraphs can also be good for those with dyslexia, autism, or some other disorder. Don’t quote me on those, I’m not familiar with any of those learning disabilities or such. So smaller paragraphs of 6 sentences and 75-100 words might, might, be beneficial in some instances.

     Lesson 2: indenting. Indenting, what is an indent? An indent starts at the beginning of a paragraph. As many of you may have noticed, there’s always a space before I start writing a paragraph. This is a great marker that you’ve started a new paragraph. Being fic writers, this rule can be used or ignored at your whims, but if you’re looking to do more formal writing, it’s good to know. Also, in most word documents and such, there’s this wonderful little key labeled ‘tab’ that will automatically indent the paragraph for you. On Tumblr, this doesn’t work. The way I do it is to use 5 spaces. Okay, that’s our short lesson 2.

     Lesson 3: their/there/they’re! Their, there, they’re. You’re, your. It’s its. These are common mistakes among everybody. In fact I haven’t seen it more in anyone than I have in Americans. Even still, it’s important to know which one to use. Their: this is the possessive form of they. It relates to something belonging to or connected to ‘them’. It can be used in a variety of ways. For example: This item is theirs, their school is in another country. There: this is all about location. The store is over there, she’s there, the trees are there. They’re: they are. This is a pretty simple and straightforward one. It’s used to mean they are. So instead of ‘they are stupid’, it would be ‘they’re stupid’. Or ‘They are at the store’ it would be ‘They’re at the store.’ 

     Your: this is belonging to or associated with a person. Similar to their. This post is yours to use. Your name is Y/n. Your house is very beautiful. You’re: you are. Another simple and straightforward one. It’s short for you are. You’re all so amazing. You’re my beloved followers. You’re going to like this post 😆. 

     It’s and its. It’s: it is. Another straightforward one but one that is so often confused by everyone. Quite simply if you don’t know whether to use it’s or its, just think, what if I separate it into it is. If the sentence doesn’t work as ‘it is’, then use its. ‘It is no big deal’, okay use it’s. Put the beast in it is cage. Nope, use its. 

     Lesson 4: dialog. Dialog is used in probably 90% of fanfiction. You can have a piece with absolutely no dialog, I’ve done it, but most will have dialog. Now I’ve seen a lot of people, english speakers and non english speakers alike, use things like “I can’t write properly.” he said. “Well it just takes practice.” she said. “But I do practice and I’m still terrible.” he said. This… well, it’s not correct, but more importantly, it should be broken up. Whenever you switch who’s talking, it needs to be placed (or at least should) on a new line. For Example:

     “I can’t write properly.” he said.

     “Well it just takes practice.” she said.

     “But I do practice and I’m still terrible.” he said.

     Don’t be mistaken though. Just because these are on different lines, doesn’t mean they’re different paragraphs. They’re just separated for clarity. Also! Plenty of teachers, experts, whatever, will say “don’t use said all the time.” ignore this! If you don’t know what to use, just use said! It’s better to overuse said than to use other words incorrectly. If it’s a question, you can use ‘asked’, but if you’re unsure, you can use said. Another option is to look up a word to see if you’re using it correctly. I do this all the time. She shouted… wait, is she shouting? Shout: Utter out a loud call or cry, typically as an expression of a strong emotion; a loud cry expressing a strong emotion or calling attention. Alright, well she’d angry with him, so shouted can be used. Or I could use yelled, or if I don’t know, perhaps I’ll just use, she said loudly and angrily. 

     Lesson 5: The Semicolon. Ah the semicolon, one of my favorites. I’m sure some of you have noticed I put ; in some of my writings. This is a great thing in my opinion. Let’s say you have a sentence. This sentence could be separated into 2 sentences or kept as one long sentence. In this case, if you’re not sure whether or not you want to separate it or not, you can always use the semicolon(;). I don’t have any examples because I can’t think of one off the top of my head. That being said, use the semicolon sparingly. If you’re using it in every other sentence, you’re probably overusing it. But it can be helpful from time to time. 

     That’s all of my writing lessons for today. If you liked this, please hit the like and/or reblog buttons. If you want to see more of these, send me an ask to my inbox along with some lessons you’d like to learn about. Remember, learn the rules before you break them. Once you know the rules, you can do what I do and laugh at them.