How do you write?

Hii I'm really curious how you AFF writers complete continuous works (like 10,000++ words or multi-chaptered fics). Because I'm extremely lazy and sometimes lose the feel for writing + face writer's block, I've struggled a lot with keeping plots sustained and logical here. Mostly oneshots are a better length for me, but the first fic I've posted some time ago still is nowhere near completed. I understand many of us have work or school, so it'd be great to hear from fellow writers about your writing habits! Please feel free to leave a comment or pm here, hope to hear from you 🙂

For writers:

How much do you write usually? (eg oneshots only ~xxx words or chaptered fics only ~xx chps ~xxx words/chp or ???)

What keeps you writing on AFF/online?

Are you a consistent writer (eg follow schedule like writing every few days) seasonal writer (eg only holidays/weekends/special occasions) or impromptu writer (eg during busy days/random bursts/no schedule)? (Can be both XD justwanna hear how ur writing scedules are)

Do you have a goal/plan/schedule for your works? Are your plans helpful for you?

What helps you to be consistent (as much as possible) in ur update/writing pace?

When do ideas come to you best and how do/did they form? How long does it usually take? (eg for me I think best at night and it takes under an hour for ideas to shape but i tweak them in the day when im more alert lmao)

Are there plots/characters/themes etc that you often gravitate towards or those that you avoid?

How has your writing journey been in a (few) sentence(s)?

Any tips/confessions/other words?

For readers:

How often do you read fanfics?

What do you like to read on AFF/other fanwritten platforms?

What would you like to see published on this account? What do you want to see more of (eg genre/characters/ships/tropes) on AFF/online?

How do you find fics to read? What are the main parts that attract you to start reading a story?

What captures you most in stories? How do these fics keep you waiting and are they completed/constantly updating?

What kills your vibe when you read? (eg writing style, length, plot - too much fluff, too realistic, too sad, too cliche)

How has your reading journey been in a (few) sentence(s)?

Feel free to recommend good fics here too! ♡ (hopefully short ones cuz Im horrible at commitment)

Thanks for reading till the end :)

Comments

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kfnye98 #1 Mar 2, 2023 20:32:58

So sorry if this takes a while to read, I tried to be clear and concise lol.

I think both my one shots and story chapters end up being in the thousands (usually no more than 10,000 words, especially if it's one shot because then I feel like it's just better to split it up into chapters). I'm someone who gets overwhelmed with really long chapters, so I try to be courteous of that in my own writing.

My love of writing and stories motivates me to keep going. I'd like to one day be a published author, so posting online and getting feedback helps prepare me for that. I also just have a lot of ideas in my head that need to come out and the best way for me to do that is through writing online.

I've tried many schedules over the years. I used to post several chapters a day back when I just wanted to make sure I didn't keep people waiting too long for updates. Nowadays as I've gotten older, I tend to post a story (chapter or one shot) once a week that I really feel good about. I'm more about quality over quantity now, so one that has been written and then read over aloud to find mistakes or sentences that don't read well. This works well for my personal life schedule and still allows me time to properly prepare for the next update.

Chapter plans and detailed notes help me so much with consistency!! I sometimes struggle with the motivation to write, but if I have a detailed plan of what I want to work on next and what will happen within the story or chapter, I can get through it. If it's a longer story, I'll split it up into sections that I try to tackle daily (one section a day until I'm ready to revise). It just seems like a much more daunting task to post if I have no idea what I want to write or what I want to happen.

My ideas often come from the media I consume. I usually find plots or storylines I like and then I alter them to fit the characters I want to write about and make them my own. A lot of times it's just songs with cool messages or that remind me of a certain plot. I can't really put a number on how long it takes me to develop the ideas, I think I just kind of figure it out as I go. If I'm really prepared, I'll jot down some quick, general notes and then expand as I start writing. Even if I don't intend on publishing them yet, I prefer to get them so I can go back to them when I am ready.

I love, love realistic plots with lessons. I do like to indulge in cliche, rom-com type plots now and again, but more often than not, I like to write stories people can relate to or learn from. Even if the specific events from the story are based in fantasy and pure fiction, I try to lace in realistic lessons within the story.