WRITING TOGETHER IS A PARTNERSHIP - AKA DON’T MAKE YOUR PARTNER CARRY THREADS ON THEIR OWN.
I have received several messages about tricks to writing and if there are any key POINTS to being a GOOD writer. Good, as a term is subjective of course, changes from one person to the other. Though WRITING does have certain tricks to it to look more appealing to the reader, and in our case, being a ‘GOOD WRITING PARTNER’ is more about making things easier for the people you share your hobby with more than the actual style of your writing. So what is this that I am talking about?
Of course, there are many tips to write things that are more readable, to have your writing flow better, if you will. But this is more about giving your partner things they can actually work on, aka the CONTENT of your writing. Carefully chosen words, poetic approaches, styling etc. etc. sure have their effect on making a piece of writing a joy to read, though it does not mean your reply is not STALE. If the content is lost within words, no matter how beautiful it may be to read your writing, it will LOSE points of actual action and thus will be DRY, and a HARD reply.
Don’t have your muse only mentally react, especially for longer threads which usually consists mostly of muses’ train of thoughts, environmental and emotional exploration, pen-portraiting of expressions and so on, it is important to CREATE action rather than ONLY give reaction. Be it physical or verbal, big or tiny, drop at least a line of MOVEMENT without any IMPACT. Your partner will have a chance to EXPAND/CHANGE/FURTHER-EXPLORE the current situation if you too put in the effort of creativity. Don’t leave your reply at EXPLAINING feelings/thoughts/etc, make sure it takes body somehow. Read your reply as if it is someone else’s and given to you, see if you can build a picture over it, find points to WORK & turn into material for yourself.
Carrying threads alone is truly tiring, and even boring at points, and usually causes writers to feel COLDER towards their threads. Keep in mind that it’s back and forth, action reaction, and that even the smallest line that can be worked on for the sake of furthering storyline is a huge gift to your partner and thus to you. Have fun waffles!