patron-saint-of-smart-asses:

What I have learned so far by writing a serious fanfic as “practice”:

1. Sentence starters from those writing prompt lists really do help! I used only one prompt, but it was what helped me spark the beginning of this 17 chapter (so far) fic. It helped me flesh out my main character’s personality and place within the setting, as well as her interactions with other characters. And all because of a prompt.
2. It’s not illegal to write out of order. I began writing different scenerios and key plot points in disjointed files before compiling some together. Writing something down, ANYTHING down, helped spark other scenes or ideas and kept the story going, even if it wasn’t “in order” at first. Even as I write more in order now, I still get a scene idea and jot it down.
3. Rewriting whole scenes or chapters is not only normal, but fruitful. Whenever I felt stuck on a chapter or plot point, it’s usually because the flow of the scenes or pacing was wrong. Or, perhaps I focused on the wrong characters/plot point at the wrong time. To fix this, I rename the previous file(s) as “OLD [chapter name]” for safekeeping, and start up a whole new piece to replace it. Sometimes I go back to the “old files” and use bits and pieces of writing in other parts of the story.
4. It’s okay to step back from a story for a while, but do check in at least once a day to re-read a favorite scene, jot down possible ideas, etc. When I am truly stuck or unmotivated, I want to be close to my story still but also give my creative juices some breathing room. Normally when I do this, I come up with an idea while going about my day and I can get back into it with new ideas that continue the story.
5. AMBIENCE MUSIC IS LIFE. For me, the ambience tracks from Skyrim are a lifesaver, and other writer friends of mine (both professional and hobbyist) also share that ambience is important. Lyrical music can be distracting, and any musical genre can distract your brain from the setting/mood/tone of your story if it is meant for entertainment, rather than focusing. I can go from 0% interested in writing and clueless on ideas, to 100% focused and inspired, just by having that “background” music on. Video game ambience music is especially helpful, since they are developed to help players of their game to focus.
6. GoogleDocs makes things easy. I like to keep my writing in a place where I can access it anywhere, so if I become inspired or have a new idea, I can jot it down even if I am at the grocery store and only have my iPhone. It’s also handy when I have to switch from my laptop to my desktop for whatever reason.
7. Don’t be afraid to be “mean” to your characters/OCs. My goodness, for so long I had trouble being mean to characters, but then I realized that I had to in order to progress a story. Obviously it should be balanced out with good moments, but finding the balance is key to a story that keeps people reading. Yay, they got the good thing! But then THIS happened! What will they do next??? And so on.

That’s it for now. Just felt like sharing that. 🙂