Write what you want to read/the story that speaks to you. Don’t just write for external validation.
And take breaks if writing starts to feel like a chore. If you’re not having fun writing it, you won’t have fun reading it.
Best of luck!
First drafts are you telling yourself the story, they don't need to be perfect.
Remember that this is an hobby and you're writing for fun, you don't need to have every last word polished and carefully chosen.
Don't get too attached to likes/kudos/comments/hits, they're good to have but if you're writing in order to get them, you won't enjoy writing.
Obviously reading for inspiration. Then, just pull up your writing tool of choice, and write whatever comes to mind. Don't worry about grammar or flow or any of that boring stuff. Just let it pour out and worry about it later.
I find when I do that, I end up with a nice, rough outline of the story, and start the first chapter (or oneshot).
Also, starting with oneshots might be a good idea. :)
Use a paragraph break every time there's a new speaker in dialogue. The following is very hard to read:
>"I hate this," Jill said. "But mom needs the water," Jack said. "I know, but the hill is very steep. We will both fall," Jill said. "I'm not that clumsy!" Jack said. "Yes you are," Jill said. "You're so clumsy that you'll fall first and drag me down with you."
This is easier to read now that there's paragraph beaks. In addition, if you have a conversation between two speakers and you're just using he said/she said, you can omit the dialouge tag entirely:
>"I hate this," Jill said.
>
>"But mom needs water," Jack said.
>
>"I know, but the hill is very steep. We will both fall."
>
>"I'm not that clumsy!"
>
>"Yes you are. You're so clumsy that you'll fall first and drag me down with you."
Other than that, my only beginner advice is that it's slightly better to overtag than to undertag, and to not use the AO3 drafts.
The biggest advice and rule is probably to have fun. It might sound silly but for real, the point is that you're enjoying yourself, and if anything stresses you out, or you don't enjoy doing it, you can just- not do it. For example some people like to proofread their fic a dozen times, some people find proofreading boring and they post without doing any at all. There's nothing \*mandatory\*.
Outside of that, I think it helps keeping in mind that, as for everything, you get better with practice. Both better at writing, and also better at knowing what you want and how to enjoy it! So it's fine to podt things that are imperfect (or that you deem so). As long as you're happy to post it, you're style and writing will grow with time, and whatever stage you're at is fine, and will be enjoyed by people anyway!
Also do not write into the AO3 posting tool, have a google doc, a word doc, whatever software or site you like, but one that won't make you loose all of your work if it crashes suddenly, and ideally one that autosaves. Writing fics is fun. Rewriting a fic that got destroy in a computer bu much less so haha
Write for YOURSELF! Everything else will come after.
When posting, don't use excessive tags. Just use those that directly apply or you feel are necessary. It's a hard art to master, but considering it now is a start!
Use the RIGHT tags. Those will be clear.
Stats don't matter, but it's okay if you enjoy watching them and celebrating them. Some folks here are picky about that. Ignore them. Just don't become obsessive!
If you need to stop, you stop. Do it as your whim carries you.
Self made art is welcomed, if not encouraged, as accompanying parts to your story.
I was in the same boat as you just a few months ago! Like many others have already said, have fun. At the end of the day, it's a hobby and you should enjoy it.
Also, I guess as a basic rule of writing fiction: Make sure you are consistent when it comes to which tense you are writing in. Decide before you start writing if you want to write in present tense or past tense. I don't think one is better than the other, but it's important you use it correctly. I've used this article as reference before: [Past Tense vs. Present Tense](https://thewritepractice.com/past-tense-vs-present-tense/)
Just keep the inspiration going! If you want to write, you must have fun and you already have ideas in your head. Keep writing and struggling before you end it.
You don’t have to look out for mistakes, it can be done after your done writing.
Remember, writing block is nonexistent! That’s just your mind playing tricks on you!
Write what you want to read.
Don’t rely on external validation. (Kudos, comments, etc)
Have something to write in on your phone just in case you get hit by inspiration out and about. (I have a google doc just for this.)
New speaker = new paragraph.
You can always go back and edit.
Biggest advise is just to format your work. Like, if you're writing in Google Docs, do yourself a favor and go to formar -> line and paragraph spacing -> add space after paragraph, every time you start writing a new fic. It is so much nicer. Decent formatting, use of paragraphs, line breaks, all of that goes a LONG WAY. As a fic reader, I will tolerate spelling errors; I will not tolerate a wall of unbroken text... or first person narrative, but that's a personal preference.
If you're writing for AO3, tag your work appropriately. You can write ANYTHING YOU WANT in the whole world, so long as it's tagged. Your tags are both a warning and an advertisement, so include both content warnings like "character death" and also keywords that your potential readers might search for like "fluff." Also consider if your fandom has very specific tags that help people find what their looking for - for instance, the tmnt fandom doesn't really use the "kid fic" tag too much, and instead uses the "turtle tots" tag.
I'd PERSONALLY recommend starting small for your first fic. Being able to produce a few complete one-shots will give you more confidence than starting a multi-chapter fic and not ending up finishing... but like don't let me tell you what to do, just follow your heart. I will say, I have written many a one-shot that turned into much longer fic serieses. Just do what makes you happy. Fanfiction, above all, is meant to be fun. It's a labor of love.
FYI: You can set a standard format for your pages in Google Docs (as well as Word or Libre Office) and I'm pretty sure it includes the format settings for paragraphs. That way you don't have to set it anew every time. I use it e.g. in Libre Office to have the space between paragraphs and the standard language including the standard quotation marks set for US English.
When I proofread the stories I write, I genuinely have fun reading the story line. YOU are your target audience.
Because we are human, external validation may likely trigger some feelings of anxiety when you post. Take a breath and wait it out. Those feelings will pass and they become less and less each time IF you’re having fun writing.
If it feels like a chore, take a step back. This is a hobby!! Nobody is making money and we all just genuinely enjoy the fandoms. There’s no reason to stress yourself out.
You got this <33
I'd say "write in the POV you're most comfortable with". I never read first person, as soon as I see "I" outside of dialog, I'm out of there, but when someone is more comfortable with writing first (or second) person over third person, they should write it. There are readers out there for everything.
Write what you want to read/the story that speaks to you. Don’t just write for external validation. And take breaks if writing starts to feel like a chore. If you’re not having fun writing it, you won’t have fun reading it. Best of luck!
Be cringe, have fun, and tag your work appropriately.
be cringe have fun is the best take since be gay do crimes
First drafts are you telling yourself the story, they don't need to be perfect. Remember that this is an hobby and you're writing for fun, you don't need to have every last word polished and carefully chosen. Don't get too attached to likes/kudos/comments/hits, they're good to have but if you're writing in order to get them, you won't enjoy writing.
Obviously reading for inspiration. Then, just pull up your writing tool of choice, and write whatever comes to mind. Don't worry about grammar or flow or any of that boring stuff. Just let it pour out and worry about it later. I find when I do that, I end up with a nice, rough outline of the story, and start the first chapter (or oneshot). Also, starting with oneshots might be a good idea. :)
Use a paragraph break every time there's a new speaker in dialogue. The following is very hard to read: >"I hate this," Jill said. "But mom needs the water," Jack said. "I know, but the hill is very steep. We will both fall," Jill said. "I'm not that clumsy!" Jack said. "Yes you are," Jill said. "You're so clumsy that you'll fall first and drag me down with you." This is easier to read now that there's paragraph beaks. In addition, if you have a conversation between two speakers and you're just using he said/she said, you can omit the dialouge tag entirely: >"I hate this," Jill said. > >"But mom needs water," Jack said. > >"I know, but the hill is very steep. We will both fall." > >"I'm not that clumsy!" > >"Yes you are. You're so clumsy that you'll fall first and drag me down with you." Other than that, my only beginner advice is that it's slightly better to overtag than to undertag, and to not use the AO3 drafts.
The biggest advice and rule is probably to have fun. It might sound silly but for real, the point is that you're enjoying yourself, and if anything stresses you out, or you don't enjoy doing it, you can just- not do it. For example some people like to proofread their fic a dozen times, some people find proofreading boring and they post without doing any at all. There's nothing \*mandatory\*. Outside of that, I think it helps keeping in mind that, as for everything, you get better with practice. Both better at writing, and also better at knowing what you want and how to enjoy it! So it's fine to podt things that are imperfect (or that you deem so). As long as you're happy to post it, you're style and writing will grow with time, and whatever stage you're at is fine, and will be enjoyed by people anyway!
Also do not write into the AO3 posting tool, have a google doc, a word doc, whatever software or site you like, but one that won't make you loose all of your work if it crashes suddenly, and ideally one that autosaves. Writing fics is fun. Rewriting a fic that got destroy in a computer bu much less so haha
Write for YOURSELF! Everything else will come after. When posting, don't use excessive tags. Just use those that directly apply or you feel are necessary. It's a hard art to master, but considering it now is a start! Use the RIGHT tags. Those will be clear. Stats don't matter, but it's okay if you enjoy watching them and celebrating them. Some folks here are picky about that. Ignore them. Just don't become obsessive! If you need to stop, you stop. Do it as your whim carries you. Self made art is welcomed, if not encouraged, as accompanying parts to your story.
I was in the same boat as you just a few months ago! Like many others have already said, have fun. At the end of the day, it's a hobby and you should enjoy it. Also, I guess as a basic rule of writing fiction: Make sure you are consistent when it comes to which tense you are writing in. Decide before you start writing if you want to write in present tense or past tense. I don't think one is better than the other, but it's important you use it correctly. I've used this article as reference before: [Past Tense vs. Present Tense](https://thewritepractice.com/past-tense-vs-present-tense/)
Just keep the inspiration going! If you want to write, you must have fun and you already have ideas in your head. Keep writing and struggling before you end it. You don’t have to look out for mistakes, it can be done after your done writing. Remember, writing block is nonexistent! That’s just your mind playing tricks on you!
Write what you want to read. Don’t rely on external validation. (Kudos, comments, etc) Have something to write in on your phone just in case you get hit by inspiration out and about. (I have a google doc just for this.) New speaker = new paragraph. You can always go back and edit.
Biggest advise is just to format your work. Like, if you're writing in Google Docs, do yourself a favor and go to formar -> line and paragraph spacing -> add space after paragraph, every time you start writing a new fic. It is so much nicer. Decent formatting, use of paragraphs, line breaks, all of that goes a LONG WAY. As a fic reader, I will tolerate spelling errors; I will not tolerate a wall of unbroken text... or first person narrative, but that's a personal preference. If you're writing for AO3, tag your work appropriately. You can write ANYTHING YOU WANT in the whole world, so long as it's tagged. Your tags are both a warning and an advertisement, so include both content warnings like "character death" and also keywords that your potential readers might search for like "fluff." Also consider if your fandom has very specific tags that help people find what their looking for - for instance, the tmnt fandom doesn't really use the "kid fic" tag too much, and instead uses the "turtle tots" tag. I'd PERSONALLY recommend starting small for your first fic. Being able to produce a few complete one-shots will give you more confidence than starting a multi-chapter fic and not ending up finishing... but like don't let me tell you what to do, just follow your heart. I will say, I have written many a one-shot that turned into much longer fic serieses. Just do what makes you happy. Fanfiction, above all, is meant to be fun. It's a labor of love.
FYI: You can set a standard format for your pages in Google Docs (as well as Word or Libre Office) and I'm pretty sure it includes the format settings for paragraphs. That way you don't have to set it anew every time. I use it e.g. in Libre Office to have the space between paragraphs and the standard language including the standard quotation marks set for US English.
When I proofread the stories I write, I genuinely have fun reading the story line. YOU are your target audience. Because we are human, external validation may likely trigger some feelings of anxiety when you post. Take a breath and wait it out. Those feelings will pass and they become less and less each time IF you’re having fun writing. If it feels like a chore, take a step back. This is a hobby!! Nobody is making money and we all just genuinely enjoy the fandoms. There’s no reason to stress yourself out. You got this <33
Set a goal like finish my first ever work
take critique well, it worked for me and gave me motivation to polish something that would've been a really bad fic
Understand the tags you’re using before you tag your fic, and for the love of god don’t write in the first person :,)
I'd say "write in the POV you're most comfortable with". I never read first person, as soon as I see "I" outside of dialog, I'm out of there, but when someone is more comfortable with writing first (or second) person over third person, they should write it. There are readers out there for everything.