Pro tip for befriending writers: Help us with the weird shit. Meeting up for coffee is nice and all, but if you offer to spot me while I practice collapsing in different ways for my WIP, you'll literally be my person, no questions asked. Listen to me talk about all the random and oddly specific things I've learned through my research? Best friends. Let me use you as a human Barbie doll to visualise my scene? I will die for you.

Random writing advice, yet again: Sometimes you just have to listen to yourself.

Getting stuck when you're writing sucks, and whilst writer's block can strike for no good reason, oftentimes, there's an underlying cause. Sometimes it might be obvious- maybe you're stressed from school or work, or you're running low on sleep- but, sometimes, you might have to dig a little deeper to figure out the 'why' part of "why in God's name can't I put words on the page?"

I found myself in this position recently, and, after putting it off for almost a fortnight, I finally forced myself to do something about it. I sat down with my WIP, and focused on my automatic thoughts and feelings as I read it. After getting through everything I've written so far, I finally figured out my problem; there was a section right at the beginning of the story that I just didn't like, and it was making me feel sour towards the whole thing. I'd had vague thoughts about the scene in question for a while, but I didn't realise it was the problem until I sat back and actually listened to myself. The section set the tone for the first part of the story, and although it was what I thought I wanted when I wrote it, it turns out that it just doesn't fit. After changing the part that was bothering me, replacing less than 500 words, my entire WIP feels so much better, and I've been able to continue on at last.

Remember, writing is incredibly subjective, and the thing that "makes sense" isn't always going to be the thing that works. You need to listen to yourself to figure out what's actually right for your story. Sometimes the cringey plot point is going to be the right one, and sometimes "fuck you" is the perfect thing to say. It might sound silly, but sometimes you just have to do a vibe check.

We have to fight, or else I fear the world will end up in a “pave paradise” situation; not understanding the importance of humanness in writing until it’s been eliminated by software. The rise of AI is no different to any other attack on art that has happened in history, and it’s up to us to win the war.

I saw a very blunt Instagram comment today that told a writer, "AI is going to steal your job soon. You may want to choose something else." It was so nonchalant and casual, like what was just said wasn't heartbreaking to hear.

Can we writers just make a pact just to... not quit? Can we not give in so easily? Can we actually fight to keep our professions and continue to share our own original work? I will never expect writing to be my main source of income, but that does not mean I'm so willing to give it up for the sake of some robot.

Memories on the Wind Progress Update 5

No, I haven't given up on this WIP! I've just been caught up with completing another shorter story, and, frankly, I've found it hard to find the motivation to write for the past couple of weeks. I haven't made much progress with the actual plot or wordcount, but I've done a lot of editing that's made me much happier about what I've already written, which is making me excited to pick up and work on it again. Wish me luck!

For the fandom homies: Everything is still the same as Update 4. Emotional George and injured Reynolds, which is apparently becoming a recurring theme in my works 🤔

Current Word Count: 3724

My AO3 readers, praising me for my clever choice to end my story in the same location it started in order to symbolise healing and personal development: *applause*

Me, now understanding how the ghosts of classical authors must feel when they see high school teachers hyper-analysing their choice to make the bedroom curtains green: "Yes, I did that. On purpose. I am smart."

Fanfic Writer Ask Meme

A: Of the fanfic you’ve written, which is your favorite and why? B:  What was the first fandom you read fic in?  Which was the first you wrote fic for? C:  How did you come up with the title to [insert fic]? D: What’s the most personal fanfic you’ve written? E: What character do you identify with most?  Is there a certain fic of yours that captures these qualities particularly well? F: Is there a song or a playlist to associate with [insert fic]? G: If you wrote a sequel to [insert fic], what would it be about? H: How would you describe your writing style? I: How many fandoms have you written in?  Do you have a favorite? J:  What’s your favorite fanfic trope?  Have you written it? K:  Do you have a guilty pleasures in fic (reading or writing)? L:  Which of your fanfics was the most emotionally challenging to write? M: What’s the weirdest AU scenario you’ve ever come up with?  Did it turn into a story? N: Any fic ideas brewing that you’d care to share? O: What are your thoughts on people writing fanfic of your fanfic? P:  Where did you find the most inspiration for your story < insert title >? Q: Do you like getting prompts from your readers? R: Which writers (fanfic or otherwise) do you consider the biggest influence on you and your writing? S: How do you feel about fan art inspired by your writing? T: Any fanfic tropes you can’t stand? U: Is there a pairing you would like to write, but haven’t tried yet. V: Are there certain comments you’ve received on your stories that have stuck with you? W: What is your favorite pairing to write?  Favorite pairing to read? X: How would you categorize your fanfic reading?  Are you a voracious reader?  Do you carefully pick and choose?  Something in between? Y: What are your thoughts on your personal satisfaction with something you’ve written vs. the popularity of your stories?  Do you tend to be most satisfied with your most popular stories?   Z: Is there a story you’ve written that doesn’t seem to get much love?

Some author: “She wore a bra two sizes too small”

I accidentally bought a bra that’s one size too small in the cup only and it’s struggling to keep me contained. On behalf of all large-chested characters, I promise you, a properly sized push-up bra will do the job just fine. Thank-you for coming to my TED Talk.

Even more random writing advice: Writing advice is not one-size-fits-all

I feel like this should go without saying, but, hey, it can't hurt. Just because something works for someone else, doesn't mean it will work for you, and, conversely, just because something works for you, doesn't mean it will work for everyone else. Apart from the very basics of the craft, pretty much no piece of writing advice is universal. It can be useful, even downright life-saving, but you shouldn't feel bad just because the tips and tricks that seem to work for everyone else don't help you. We're all different individuals, so it makes sense that different things are going to work for each of us. I share things that I find useful on this blog in case someone else happens to find them useful, too, not because I expect them to be game-changers for every single person who reads my posts.

As a personal example, despite hundreds of other writers advising otherwise, I simply can't complete a story without editing as I go. I understand the reasoning behind it, and I definitely see how it works for many people, but it just doesn't work for me. I need to get the bulk of my editing done whilst I'm writing, or I'll never finish. I edit as I go, because it works for me, and that's okay. Whatever works for you, is okay, whether it goes against every "10 Tips for Writing" post you've ever seen or not. Remember, writing is art, and art is inherently subjective, both in its completion and its creation.

Currently thinking about how much I’d like to make some of my works into podfics but also how much I loathe the sound of my own voice on recordings. Part of me really wants to give it a go to see if it might make listening to myself less jarring but at the same time I’m really not sure.

New Work (NSFW)

At His Mercy by erraticprocrastinator

Words: 2565

Relationships: Brimsley x Reynolds

Summary:

Reynolds knows exactly how to satisfy Brimsley's craving for control.

No Archive Warnings Apply

I write on my laptop, and whilst it doesn't bother me when I'm gaming or doing most other things, the noise my computer makes becomes extremely overwhelming when I'm writing. I have to keep my Loops in or work in a room with other noise (air conditioning, TV etc.) just to work on my WIPs without feeling icky. It's so odd, because it's a gaming laptop that sometimes sounds like a vacuum cleaner depending on what I'm doing, but the slight buzzing sound it makes when idle just makes me feel ill when I'm trying to read or write anything. It sometimes makes me want to purchase an iPad again just so I can write without the noise, even though I prefer the PC experience in every other way.

Writing is so unpredictable. I’ll spend days coming up with new scenes and planning out my stories, and then find myself unable to write anything when I actually sit down to work on my WIPs, but yet I’ll also pop into my Word document on my phone at 11 PM at night to fix a spelling mistake and end up churning out a thousand words and a whole new plot point. Please make it make sense.

reblog if fanfic writing has been a source of happiness for you and has helped with your mental health

Memories on the Wind Progress Update 4

I've actually committed to doing these updates, woooooooooooo!

Things have been going a little better with this WIP in the past few days but I'm still not making as much progress as I would like. I'm by no means a long-form writer and am well on my way to my wordcount goal, but I'm just frustrated by how slowly my brain is putting words onto the document. I'm just trying to remind myself that progress is progress, and I will say that I'm in a much better mindset about it than I was when I wrote my last update. Although today wasn't my best session in terms of wordcount (largely due to me painfully burning my hand this afternoon), I still made some decent edits that I think are definitely for the better. I've started keeping a running list of changes to make, adding things as I notice or think about them, to ensure that I don't forget about anything that needs to be re-visited but also preventing me from getting too caught up with it in the moment. Overall, the story is coming along, which is all I can ask for.

For the fandom homies: Honestly, I think this story could also be called "Testing George's Emotional Range", because, damn, I've put him through a lot of feelings in what little I've written so far. As I have also documented to one of my close mutuals, I can so far present:

Needlessly Jerkish George

Frantically Panicked George

Fiercely Overprotective George

Somewhat Needlessly Guilty George

Secretly Flattered George

Completely Justifiably Concerned George

I know that's a lot, but I'm still very much enjoying playing around with different portrayals of George for a change. I've also been adding a little variety to my portrayal of Reynolds- I'm giving him moments of his stereotypical sarcasm and dismissiveness of his own wellbeing but I'm also just letting him be in pain for once. Letting him not be perfectly polite for once. Honestly just letting him be human for once. It's refreshing in an odd way.

Current Word Count: 3642

In a cruel but fitting turn of events for a writer, I have sustained minor but excruciatingly painful burns all over my right hand in a tea-making accident. However, seeing as it hurts the same regardless of what I'm doing, I will be (perhaps against common sense) continuing with my WIP. This has been your regularly scheduled episode of The Life of a Stubborn Neurospicy Writer.

“that’s my favorite fictional character and I get to torture him !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😤”

— AO3 fanfic writers

Part 2 of "English Is Hard", the series where I talk about all the annoying details that can make writing a living Hell

Capitalising formal titles.

Oh, God, this one is a doozey.

It can be incredibly difficult to know when you're supposed to capitalise a person's title, especially when you're a new writer or working with characters in a more formal setting for the first time. Here are the tips I use to figure it out myself!

As a general rule, if the sentence would still make sense if the title was replaced with the character's first name, it needs to be capitalised. I've included a couple of examples below to properly explain.

After several moments, the Empress walked away, scowling.

After several moments, Alexandra walked away, scowling.

In this example, "the Empress" could be replaced with the character's first name, and the sentence would still be completely correct, so her title is capitalised.

"She does not want to be an empress, she wants to be normal."

"She does not want to be Alexandra, she wants to be normal."

In this case, although still referring to Alexandra's status as an empress, switching the title with her name does not make sense. This example is referring purely to the position, and not to the individual herself. Hence, it does not need to be capitalised.

Actually, that's another good way of summing it up: if referring to a specific individual, the title should be capitalised, but if referring to merely the position itself, it does not need to be.

A few more examples to expand on this:

Sadly, Queen Elizabeth passed away in 2022.

(the title could be replaced with just the first name and the sentence would still make sense)

Born in 1738, George became king in late 1760.

(the sentence refers to the position of king)

The Prince scurried past, giggling to himself.

He was a very important individual- the president, no less.

Now, when it comes to titles such as "sir" and "madam", the rule is a little different, but not terribly so. These should be capitalised if they are part of a title (eg. "Sir David Attenborough" or "Madam Pomfrey"), but should otherwise be left uncapitalised.

"May I present Sir William Lucas?"

("Sir" in this case is part of William Lucas' official title, and should be capitalised)

"I did not mean any offence, sir."

(in this example, "sir" is not part of a formal title, and does not need to be capitalised, even if the person was speaking to Sir William Lucas)

Madam Pomfrey was chronically overworked and underappreciated,

"I saw a young madam by the lake not long ago, she looked to be stressed."

There are so many other tidbits related to this, so many that I think I may even have to do another post further explaining all the nuances and finer details. Honestly, I could do an entire part just explaining when and how to capitalise family titles. There are a few things I've missed here, and more than likely exceptions to the rules that I've failed to mention, but I hope that this basic guide will help at least a bit.