Writer So what's your best writing advice?

[Jend-Ro Quill]

Best writing advice you've got to share? Let's hear it.

Bits and pieces I've heard that come to mind:

• Your first 100-200 words are prime real estate. Hook a reader right away - introduce character, setting, something happening. Flip through a bunch of books or stories, reading just the start of each, and see how they kick off and what works for you.
• Skip the boring part. If it's dull to write, time jump, switch scenes.
• Know what a comma splice is and avoid it like the plague.

How about you? What's something that levelled up your writing, or wish you could do better?

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

• Nothing is so bad that you can't start again - More of an OOC piece of advice but with regards to plots not working out, or perhaps you're running a faction and it doesn't go to plan the way you hoped it might, there's always next time. The enjoyment of writing on Chaos only stops when you give up.
• Change things up from time to time - Whether this is your usual writing/social circle or something as simple as creating a new alternate character, variety is the spice of life. If things grow stale somehow, jump to something new. Especially if it involves writing with people you're not familiar with.
• Co-operation is key - PvP. Communication and cooperation make the experience so much more enjoyable and relaxed.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Maintain a certain distance to your characters. They're not you. Frankly, having a character who shares all your views and would be your buddy IRL is boring. Also constant shiny and happy is dull (this also applies when writing romantic relationships). Interesting storytelling comes from conflict of some sort, whether it's internal or external. That means characters have to struggle in some manner and experience some form of loss. They should never get everything they want.

 

[Tefka]

People are fake af and their meaningless opinions will be swallowed by the void just like yours will. We’re all going to die. Some of us with a scream, others with a whimper.

So like, fucking post already jesus we’ve been waiting like 3 days.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

More is not always better.
Based on discord conversations, many writers on Chaos feel like writing longer posts is a necessary mark of status. Consider however, how much is actually needed to convey the message you want to convey? There are times when a long and elaborate description is not only warranted, but necessary, but quantity in itself does not equal quality. Volume for volume's sake detracts from the post as it becomes difficult to grasp the essence and relevant details.

 

[Tefka]

Best writing advice you've got to share?

get the fuck off Discord.

 

[Silas Westgard]

Have fun

 

[Corbin Vasher]

Try to use active sentences over passive sentence, especially at the beginning. Active sentences usually provide better hooks.
Really shouldn't use passive sentences at all, unless the object of the verb is more relevant than the subject.

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

Don't underestimate your reader.
(This goes along with Caedyn's "change things up" but...) Challenge yourself.

 

[Corbin Vasher]

More is not always better.
Based on discord conversations, many writers on Chaos feel like writing longer posts is a necessary mark of status. Consider however, how much is actually needed to convey the message you want to convey? There are times when a long and elaborate description is not only warranted, but necessary, but quantity in itself does not equal quality. Volume for volume's sake detracts from the post as it becomes difficult to grasp the essence and relevant details.

I basically do a scene. If it makes sense and flows better to break a post into multiple, I will. It doesn't really matter how short or long it is. It's all about the quality.

 

[Matsu Ike]

Main one is have fun... yes this is cooperative but you still get to have fun with the person/people you are writing with. Make it enjoyable.

Stay in communications... there have been some threads where me and another writer verge of in weird ways but talking it we create the subtext and reasons why they went some ways not going to name names. cough caltin cough

This is something I always say for burnout... post you don't have to publish it in thread, you don't have to make sense with it... but post if you stop and stew trying to think of something perfect you are going to lose interest if you just take a step back and write whatever.. it could be two paragraphs of internal thoughts and monologues but it will get the juices flowing for you.

Opinions can be helpful but they are not needed. THis is partially a thing but me personally I don't go for the opinion and ask others if they like a character (some make that well known). When given advice or feedback unless it is the standard "great, love them" it is ignored, critical critique is rarely used and so I usually neither ask nor give opinions. Now if someone directly asks me about a person or scenario then I will tell them.

Find a style you like but also experiment, some people love pvp, some people love pure exploration, some like scripted and some like fly by the edge of your seat make it up as you go along, some romance, some violent horror or political drama or training threads. None of them are wrong on the surface and you should do the types of threads you enjoy but never be unwilling to experiment. Maybe one of my favorite threads even though it barely got past the introductions was Je'gan's eleven when the jedi master was gathering people for a massive heist of an event ship and it was out of what I normally did... complex planning, large group, likely pvp. Not stuff I enjoy but Jon made it a fun time... and it didn't get far but it was fun to come up with that opening and where a character fit in the team.

THe long term and the short term... these can be tricky you never know what is going to happen to you or someone you are rping with. Long term plans can be great to come up with but circumstances can change while short term one offer great one shorts but don't do much to build excitement. So it really comes to what sort of committment you are looking for. An example is.... Matsu herself... she does hundreds of short term training threads to learn skills, practice, meet masters... and long term has her relationship with Hanna, her children, the jedi.... but those are usually done solo or with Alli who has been around forever and posts slow but will eventually post.

 

[Ugoto Chivaro]

• Write less. If you're clocking something over 700 words and you're in a scene of individuals with other people, it's too much and you're ruining the pacing of whatever scene you're trying to make. Full stop. No exceptions. You are often overestimating potential readers' ability to parse out the most important parts.
  
  
• I'm pretty sure I used to dedicate the first half of posts that were already too long to justification: why a character is there, how they got there, what their plan is, how they're going to do it, etc. I sometimes see at least one other person doing this. To them I say: This is a waste of time. It's not a test. No one is going to throw you out if you don't write these things. Trust yourself to know and remember the answers to these questions and let them emerge organically through your writing.
  • As with Jon-Ro Quill's comment on the hook: focus on character and action. Not your character's overarching agenda for life, the universe, and everything.

• Break up dialogue with action and activity. If that's hard to come by, two-to-three sentences of introspection will do... But no more. Don't bloat your post and ruin the momentum. If you're struggling to do so, then it's possible the conversation has gone on too long and the scene has run its course. If you reach that point, ask yourself if you've accomplished your narrative goals for that conversation.If you haven't... You probably won't waste as much time getting to the point next time, will you?
  • This happens to me most often when I'm writing dialogue between NPCs. I find I run out of things and descriptions to interpose between - only to realize that the conversation wastes too much time on inconsequential comments, unrelated statements, formalities, whatever. Keep focused, Stay on target, etc.

• Try to avoid full paragraphs of speech in most cases. Do not bombard other characters with full monologues - especially during a duel. It begins to beg the question of what other people are doing while your character talks for three minutes straight. Then they have to bloat their own post with mental responses and comments because you didn't give them a chance to respond. Obnoxious to witness and tedious to write with.
  
  
• Also on the topic of dialogue: keep character conversations focused. Don't ask two disparate questions, because then you get two disparate answers, and now you have two conversations taking place in parallel that probably need their own space to breathe. One thing at a time.
  
  
• Not everything deserves to be directly responded to in your posts. If someone gives you a long post, pick the one part that would most likely get a response out of your character and address that. This is both for dialogue and actions. Do not go point-by-point. You will bloat your post and make it less fun to read. This isn't a college debate. You're writing a scene. Keep it snappy. Keep it crisp.
  
  
• For codex and factory subs, I sometimes find myself absently using words like "usually", "generally", "often", and so on. Take a good hard look at these words when you use them. Ask yourself if they're supposed to be there. If you're trying to make hard, declarative statements about how something just IS, don't soften the language.
  
  
• Writing in present tense is fun. For me, anyway.

 

[Matt the Radar Tech]

I have success using letters to write; the alphabet rocks!

 

[DECEASED Erskine Barran]

Your character could start as throwaway and as meme-worthy as one could possibly imagine

wouldn't matter in the end if they gain momentum

momentum is half the battle - keep writing! write write write write write!

 

[DECEASED Erskine Barran]

I have success using letters to write; the alphabet rocks!

the alphabet is based

 

[Aelin Erevos]

Read a lot - reading helps with plot structure, developing your own stylistic prose, and can be inspirational for new ideas when you feel burnt out.

 

[Iris Arani]

Don't feel like you're posting slow or holding stuff up. Just post when you feel up to it. Skip a thread if you're not feeling it and write where you do.

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Passive RP should be quick and goal oriented: Just like a dominion, it's got to have a purpose. Idle chatter is quick to burn you and your partner out if it doesn't have meaning behind it. There should always be an end goal to passive roleplay, like finding a new ship or discussing a specific topic between your two characters.

Never change for anyone but yourself: As much of an OOC piece as it is IC. Whether it's your writing style or your character, Never let anyone tell you to change unless it's change you want. And I'm not saying to change because someone asks you to uphold etiquette or because your posts seem to confuse people, But what I am saying is that you need to change because you yourself want to be better. Never changed based on the subjective.

Give your character a hobby: Or two. They help round out a character, especially action oriented characters. Have them pick up a guitar, paint in their spare time, even fish. Just something that isn't action oriented. It makes them feel more alive and like... well, a sentient being. No one is killing all the time, they have do enjoy something.


Character Agency is everything: You character needs a degree of independence from their faction. if your character cannot, in your opinion, continue their story without their faction, You have made an NPC. I know from experience; One day that faction won't be there, and you'll be stuck with no idea what do do with this character and just make a new one. Give your character a purpose that's independent from your faction, like locating a long lost relative or seeking revenge, maybe even building up another group, such as a mandalorian clan. As long as it's something you can do without the faction, but can provide a reasonable hook for being in said faction, you'll always have that goal to fallback on.

 

[Jsc]

You once linked me to a few rants by woman called Limyaael. They were fantastic reads, even back then, and helped me realize that most of my best "fan fiction" was just unoriginal adolescent fantasy cliche'. Repetitious. Unrepentant. Self absorbed. Stuff like that. Something that had been done a million times already. And a million-billion times better by better writers too.

It was a good lesson to learn early and helped me dive deeper into the raw psychology behind the pitch-black escapism that bleeds and sparkles from the best fantasy experiences.

And I learned that everybody wants 'fun' differently. That writing is an evolution. That it's okay to grow up. And that it's okay to move on too. Everybody dies. That's just life.

Anyway. Thanks for the link man. Fond memories! Cheers!

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

I'll try to be short.

Write always what the character wants, not what you want, even if they are doing an insane or idiot thing. Try to listen to them. It is the best thing, if the character really lives and acting.