The thing about writing is we’re taught to write in a very specific way as children that is deemed as the “correct” way. And it’s so important to have those fundamentals — to know how sentences are constructed and what is proper paragraph structure and to become familiar with grammar. Those are essential building blocks.

But because schools have to focus on essay writing and technicalities and whatever is needed for the latest standardized test, it’s often the only way we learn how to write when there’s so many ways to write. There’s technical writing, journalistic writing but also editorial writing, copywriting, letter writing, free writing … to infinity and beyond.

We often don’t explore creative writing in an academic setting until later in life when we seek it out (or never at all in most cases). And while there’s guides for these looser types of writing, as well, it’s important to know you can just say FUCK ALL and bastardize the rules that were beat into your brain by red pens all your life.

Make up words. A paragraph can be one sentence, one word, or a whole damn monologue. Run-on sentences can be a style choice. Make a chapter one line. Use capitalization however you see fit. Start sentences with conjunctions. Be abstract in imagery. Forget commas exist and keep using ‘and’ instead (<- my favorite). Fragments can be fire. Create your own voice in the remnants of a burned language.

Learning the rules also means knowing how and when to break them. So break them to tell your story the way you want.

Ok it’s a poll it’s not that serious but there is something funny about the non-writers voting the most and not reblogging the poll to get more results. Like that’s the most accurate representation of fic interaction on this website 💀

It's not an "abandoned" WIP, I didn't intentionally leave it in the forest to die and forget about it, it is a lost wip who wandered into the forest despite my pleas not to. I sit at the edge of the forest every day and hear it calling for help but there is nothing I can do. It is a haunting wip

Seems unfair that I don't have 18 hours a day to read and write fanfiction. Sleep? Work? What are these nonsense tasks?

I feel this in my soul

Sometimes, a fic doesn't have to get published, it can just be a series of messages on a Discord channel, between a dedicated group of friends going "oooh, you know what else would be cool?" continuously over a period of weeks and months :)

This is the closest I've ever gotten to making up stories around a fire with friends btw.

Me, in a hushed voice, dramatically, while roasting a marshmallow over the fire: And so... The Blorbo that was sad and alone... Was not alone anymore.

My friends, collectively, every single time (while also roasting marshmallows): Oh my god, The Blorbo wasn't alone anymore... 😭😭😭

This is entirely valid and I think we as a society have put so much value on completed, polished narratives that we forget how this kind of storytelling can be just as much fun. Maybe you aren't a novelist, and can't polish it into a traditional novel-style story... But who cares? It was fun to make , it was fun to hear, and that's what really matters.

"i remember the days when you were rarely seen without a book in your hand" father you don't understand you STILL rarely see me without a book in my hand it's just that the book now comes on my phone and is usually Two Blorbos Experiencing The Same Situations Over And Over in an attempt for me to feel something inside

Extremely displeased to announce I just opened my writing doc to find the fic has not yet written itself. Will check back in tomorrow to see if it’s made any progress

You don’t have to, but I’d highly appreciate it if you could help reblog this for bigger sample size

AFW Round Four

It's almost time for Arospec Fanworks Week Round Four! This year, we'll be running or the week from February 20th to 26th. Now is a good time to take a moment to reacquaint yourself with the guidelines. This time around, there threre are two sets of prompts with themes of arospec experiences and a selection of lesser-discussed and represented arospec identities. Daily prompt posts during the week itself will include additional information and inspirations. Remember you can use either prompt, both, or neither.

Day One (Monday, 2/20) Experience Prompt: struggling with one’s identity Identity Prompt: non-SAM aro

Day Two (Tuesday, 2/21) Experience Prompt: pride in one’s identity Identity Prompt: loveless aro

Day Three (Wednesday, 2/22) Experience Prompt: facing arophobia Identity Prompt: aroflux

Day Four (Thursday, 2/23) Experience Prompt: educating others and/or oneself Identity Prompt: frayromantic

Day Five (Friday, 2/24) Experience Prompt: aro stereotypes Identity Prompt: lithromantic

Day Six (Saturday, 2/25) Experience Prompt: meeting other aros Identity Prompt: aegoromantic

Day Seven (Sunday, 2/26) Free Day