hello hello!! i can list down a few that helped me throughout my writing journey (disclaimer though my own writing process is far from perfect) and i hope they also help you 🫂

let's start with this, what you write will always be uniquely yours! writing i think is an art that naturally takes inspiration from everything around it. however, it's made different by the writer's style, experiences, and ideas. seeing something that has already been done shouldn't discourage you from trying it out anyway, especially if it's an idea you like or something that inspires you. don't be afraid to write something cliche if that's what you really want to write. i can guarantee you, even if there's already a thousand similar tropes or fics, it's going to be unique simply because it's written by you and not anybody else. your work doesn't have to be 10000% new and never seen before for it to be considered yours.

in line with this, i also think writers have a tendency to compare their works and styles with other writers. i know this is easier said than done, but when you do read another author's works, try not to focus on the thoughts that go i can never write like this, i don't do dialogue like this, i can't write anything this long and instead try to think we have different writing styles and that's okay, just because mine is different doesn't mean it's worse and also, that you can always achieve new heights if you try!

i say this from experience as someone who naturally prefers to write a shorter word count and fluffy, lighthearted stories, but also as someone who likes experimenting with what a "writing style" even is and at the end of the day, i also think it's okay not to have a style if you feel like your writing changes according to the plot. anyway! try not to pressure yourself into writing higher word counts (or even shorter word counts for some) if you know it's not what your fic needs or what you are comfortable writing. i do think that there will come a fic or idea that will make you want to break your boundaries, but don't feel pressured to reach it right off the bat.

that said, writing takes a lot of time and that's okay. if you're just starting out, i have a few technical tips to share as well! first is to always save your work in between writing (if you're not writing somewhere that autosaves) because it can get really really really frustrating to lose your work. second, don't delete or permanently trash anything you write. when i write something and change my mind about it, i tend to just move it to another doc. or when i'm writing something and 2k~ words in i suddenly don't like where it's going, i leave it there. why? because everything you wrote still took time and effort and you'll never know where you can use it again! i've found myself going back to super old drafts after years and thinking, "oh, I think i actually want to write this now!" and third, draw inspiration from everywhere. it could be the music you're listening to or the lyrics, a movie or book plot, something that goes on in your day — anything can spark the writing bug in you. write it down immediately when this happens so you don't lose it!

okay i know this is super long, but i would like to cap everything off by saying numbers do not define your worth as a writer and i mean this for everything, from the word count, to the time you spend writing, to the ao3 stats, to your twitter followers or interactions. none of these things define your worth or skill. it's easy to feel disheartened by not getting the recognition you want and deserve, but please know that it's amazing to have written anything at all and extremely brave of you to especially publish these things in a public setting. on ao3 especially where fics tend to get lost in the midst of older works with more kudos or flooded by a bunch of other new fics.

also (sorry i speak a lot when prompted but) whether you have only published 1 fic or work exclusively on social media aus or only shared wips and drafts or even if you've never posted anything you've written publicly or or or if you haven't written anything at all, but you really want to, please know i believe in you and support you as a fellow writer and as a friend!!! talk to me any time. this goes out to anybody reading this and not just the original friendly neighbour who asked hehe.

thank you for your time! ♡