Writing 101

planning.

...planning out your plot.

this is very important and HIGHLY underrated, i tell you!!

people who are generally more spontaneous (read:me) will need to have their plot all fixed up and laid out neatly before they start writing - otherwise you'll most probably end up pulling a miyu (that's me, in case you skipped/skimmed the last chapter) and changing your plot completely halfway through the story.

believe me, i've done it more than once and i've regretted not having planned out my plot COMPLETELY before actually getting into writing it :'(

if y'all are wondering how to go about planning it - i gotchu.

first thing you can do is remember your motivation to write. is it to imagine a particular character doing a particular thing? the thrill of writing out a particular scene?

there is absolutely no need to be ashamed of your reason to write whatever it is you want to write - unless it's offensive in any way. i remember my first long-term book was written only because i wanted to write my main character's reaction to her husband's death.

(yes, i'm morbid like that. is there an issue?)

[  yes, the book ended up being over fifty chapters and isn't even half done. stop calling me out, gracie :<  ]

don't mind that, please.

anyway - where was i? oh, yes - planning out the plots.

the next thing you wanna do is figure out exactly what you want to involve in your story, and figure out how to work that into whatever your current storyline is.

notice how i'm saying current - that's because a storyline changes just as often as i change my clothes. which is roughly three times a day.

don't ask. or look through the laundry.

moving on.

the way i usually plan out my plots - even though i barely plan - is by trying to pin down all the fleeting thoughts and ideas i have about the storyline. once i do that, it's a bit easier to move on to the more hardcore part of planning everything out.

"but miyu, you don't do that. you literally just said it. why should we follow your advice when not even you do?"

copious amounts of editing and staying up late worrying about confusing plotlines and rewriting things halfway through because the story flung itself completely off the tracks that the original plot was are the consequences i've faced for this. it's pretty obvious which is the better one.

at least, it is to me. it's entirely up to you what you think is the better option.

after that! comes the FUN part. actually writing it out.

think of your story as a person - the bones are the plot, which you need to make as strong as possible to ensure that it doesn't fall and break. the rest of the person - the muscles, joints, organs, etc - the things that really bring it alive, are the more intricate parts. details, descriptions, characters and such.

there is no 'one is more important than the other' here. both are just as valid and worth your time as the other.

so, yeah. that. next up is...