Help advice for someone trying to write her first multi-chapter fic

[terashards]

TLDR; i've had a multi-chapter fic in planning on and off for over a full year now and i just cannot seem to finalize the outline or actually start writing it, despite still being really into the concept and my own ideas, and i'm looking for advice or insight into how you all manage to write multi-chapter/longer works.

for context, when i was younger i was so into writing that i considered trying to be a professional novelist when i got older and my recreational writing hobby was on the same level of importance to me as digital visual art. then around age 13 or 14 i was completely bullied out of writing and did not write at all for multiple years. in recent years, mostly because of getting into pokemon horizons, i've started dabbling in writing again and have managed to write a handful of oneshots, though not very often. it's been enjoyable, but i still struggle to work on a piece of writing for more than a couple sessions without dissociating from it and being unable to continue. also, whenever i post a piece of writing i often anxiously reread it like 10 times in case i've posted something with obvious typos or characterization "errors", then hole up having anxiety about it for 24 hours afterwards, terrified that i've written something awful and that people are going to point out to me how awful it is... even though the reception of my writing has been overall positive! and also i do not struggle with this with my artwork at all!

as a result my struggles with writing a multi-chapter fic are twofold: for one, i'm just not used to working on projects for longer periods of time and i'm really not sure how i want to schedule out my writing. at the very least i have been making an outline so i'm not just writing off the top of my head, but time management especially while i'm in college feels a little scary/overwhelming. and two, i just have such deepset anxiety about my writing being terrible or that other people are going to attack me for it (even though i know this is unfounded) that it often paralyzes me away from not just posting my work, but also just working on it by myself. i've done a lot of my planning for this fic i want to write in casual discord conversations that are then organized and moved into a document because just having a formal document open made for writing planning can give me anxiety and shut down my ability to write.

i don't want to write the best fic ever or knock it out of the park on my first go, i just want to have the confidence to make it and put it online at all...!

if anyone has any insight, advice, or assurance on this topic i'd super appreciate it. i really look up to the dedication and courage of writers on this forum. no pressure of course though...!

 

[CynthiaLover]

I can totally see where you're coming from on this. I, too, went through similar phases during my earlier years of writing. Especially since my writing style was... flawed, to put it mildly. It actually took a creative writing class in college to actually turn my raw ideas into a refined form, and fixed my writing style to boot. While I had been writing since grade school mostly as a form of stress relief it ended up taking a life of it's own. It's still stress relief to me so that's an added perk to writing. But like you I was worried that my content was garbage and would be mocked and laughed at. Especially since I came to realize I'm my own worst critic. And to be fair I've had some rough transitions and periods with my writing, often trying to find new styles and ideas to work with.

However, I eventually decided that I can't keep feeling that way. I have to put it out into the world and not care what others think. And I had to be willing to accept criticism, constructive or otherwise. This was because in my past I was bullied a lot in my teen years, which is what turned my writing into an outlet for my stress and depression. But it caused my brain to be rewired and, for several years, I saw criticism as a personal attack. Thanks to that college course I no longer see it that way though I admit I still get nervous when posting something new. Especially because my ideas can be... all over the place at times. Not helping matters is that because I get bored easily it can derail any plans and ideas. But as I've come to learn and accept that you can't keep fearing what others will say about your work. So what if someone mocks it? Just ignore them. Instead focus on the good feelings you have at having accomplished something like writing a chapter to a series or a one-shot. And as I've come to notice, it's a good idea to find someone like-minded to share and bounce ideas off of each other to try to iron out the rough patches. I have a great buddy I often bounce ideas off of here on these forums and we've been doing it for quite some time now. We've helped each other iron out our writings, bounce ideas off of each other, and offer constructive criticism or act as proofreaders to one another.

But as I've come to learn you can't keep fearing what people will say about your works. Sometimes you need to just go for broke, show the world what you can do, and use the criticism you receive as greater motivation to overcome your writing flaws and learn how to improve your work. And since you said you're in college maybe you can enroll in a creative writing class like I did way back when. It helped me iron out many of my early flaws and gave me a bigger confidence boost. Just a suggestion. And don't be afraid to ask someone to act as a beta reader to help iron out those kinks. I still make some careless mistakes from time to time but having two beta readers helps me identify those mistakes and correct them. So it might not be a bad idea to find someone who will be willing to act as a beta reader for you in order to fix any flaws your writing has and build up confidence. If it would help you I wouldn't mind acting as a beta reader for you. Just putting it on the table if it'll help you. But as I've come to learn it's best to just go for broke, put it out into the world, and not fear what others think. That's my 2 cents. Feel free to spend it however you want.

 

[Nicolas721]

Just start with it and the ideas will appear by themselves. Sounds cliche but if you have complete idea of what with happen it won't be as fun, that type of novels asks for a long-term commitment so it's ultra important that you are completely invested in the characters, the world and that it appeals to your tastes.

Another thing, go at your own pace. It's okay to stop and plan better if you think you need it, unlike TV shows you do not have to follow an schedule and always produce perfect chapters. If you don't like where the story is going or don't feel invested anymore, you're always free to reinvent it.

Also, people's opinions shouldn't matter if they aren't constructive. If they don't like your work, they can leave and go for something they like, and if they keep commenting and criticizing then there's something you are doing well, they just do not want to admit it.

 

[Mialentia]

in recent years, mostly because of getting into pokemon horizons, i've started dabbling in writing again and have managed to write a handful of oneshots, though not very often. it's been enjoyable, but i still struggle to work on a piece of writing for more than a couple sessions without dissociating from it and being unable to continue. also, whenever i post a piece of writing i often anxiously reread it like 10 times in case i've posted something with obvious typos or characterization "errors", then hole up having anxiety about it for 24 hours afterwards, terrified that i've written something awful and that people are going to point out to me how awful it is... even though the reception of my writing has been overall positive! and also i do not struggle with this with my artwork at all!

This is a perfectly normal thing to go through! Writing can be a stressful thing. It's got its own separate challenges from visual art, that if ignored can make the characters feel like somebody else entirely, and that's intimidating. I wouldn't be concerned about that on your end though; every conversation we've had about fiction showed that you understand the characters you love on a deep level. Hell, for example: we agree a lot on our takes on our common interests, and (if I may talk about myself for a moment) I've only ever recieved compliments regarding my characters being... well, in-character. So if we agree on the same things and have the same views, I have no doubt you won't run into this problem at all!

as a result my struggles with writing a multi-chapter fic are twofold: for one, i'm just not used to working on projects for longer periods of time and i'm really not sure how i want to schedule out my writing.

I do agree that having a schedule is very helpful. My writing used to be infrequent and sporadic, but ever since I got into a routine, I've been putting out a lot! Here's what I do:

-Keep an ear out for good story ideas coming from your own mind (this part is already good for you, you already have ideas in mind)

-Go to the library on most days where it's open (this isn't something everyone can do for various real life reasons, but really the core of this is to separate your place of work and your place of leisure. Writing takes a lot of focus, and being distracted by all the things you love around you can be a genuine hurdle)

-Once you have your document open, start by writing a "hook": I usually start by writing the summary for the fic on ao3. It doesn't have to be good, or exact to the rest of your fic that hasn't been written yet; I usually go back and tweak a sentence or two.
-For multi-chapter fics: I tend to write multiple summaries, one per chapter, and if I'm struggling with writing even after that, I'll write "sparknotes" on the chapter(s) that go over the major events of the chapter(s). Really, what matters is to give yourself guidelines/support, something to refer to when you don't know what to do next. Again, these guidelines are not gospel; they can be changed, added to or entirely removed if you change your mind.

-Give yourself a loose word count goal! Don't have a strict number in mind, but for example, when I go to write, I try to stay for two hours at least and write around 1000-2000 words, depending on my mood and motivation. Having an exact number to shoot for may or may not help you, but I find it can lead to beating oneself up when the goal isn't met (writing, like any art form, doesn't have a consistent output even for the best writers. Everyone has off days). This word count can be anything! 100, 500, 1000, 5000... there's no rule to it! I'd recommend starting low since you're struggling, and once you find yourself more comfortable, you can increase it. Once you've approached or met your word count goal, give yourself a pat on the back and feel free to stop for the day if you feel yourself getting tired. Also, this goal includes any summaries or notes or anything else you may have written that day! It's not only about the final draft.

-If I've had a hard day (this goes for writing or for anything else), I try to reward myself! An easy way is getting yourself a snack. I like to go out and get a milkshake or hot chocolate, something sweet to tell myself "you've worked hard today, you deserve something nice"! Even if you didn't meet your expectations for yourself, if you've worked hard and tried to overcome your hurdles (mental or otherwise), that's cause for celebration, and you should reward yourself for it. Treating yourself like you would a child or a loved one tends to help, in my opinion! If getting a treat isn't an option for whatever reason, play a game you like, hang out with a friend, or watch a show you enjoy... just, in general, let your brain turn itself off for a while. Writing is a difficult and sometimes intensive activity, and overworking your brain can never be a good thing.

and two, i just have such deepset anxiety about my writing being terrible or that other people are going to attack me for it (even though i know this is unfounded) that it often paralyzes me away from not just posting my work, but also just working on it by myself. i've done a lot of my planning for this fic i want to write in casual discord conversations that are then organized and moved into a document because just having a formal document open made for writing planning can give me anxiety and shut down my ability to write.

i don't want to write the best fic ever or knock it out of the park on my first go, i just want to have the confidence to make it and put it online at all...!

This one is definitely the hardest part, yeah... I've dealt with my fair share of feeling my writing isn't good enough. This isn't going to sound helpful at all, but the best thing I can recommend is to just keep trying. Open your document once a day. Even if you don't end up writing anything, just give yourself the opportunity to. Remember, the hardest part is the first sentence; once you have something down, you can anchor yourself to that pre-existing work and use it as a basis to build off of, but a blank page can be scary...! If writing something of your own to start the document is too anxiety-inducing, feel free to lift quotes from media you like, or even other fics; just anything that matches your ideas or the vibe of your work. Of course, don't keep these in the final draft...! But every artist works off of inspiration.

Also, rely on your loved ones! No matter how badly you think of your writing, I can guarantee the people you love do not think the same way. Once you have something down, have it beta read by someone you trust! It's less intimidating if it's just your friend, your sister or your partner reading something, rather than the entire world all at once. And if they tell you it's good... well, it has to be, right? They wouldn't lie to you, after all. (This is how I reason with myself when I'm down about anything and ask for advice.) I'd be more than happy to do that for you, if you want me to! And don't feel bad for asking for that service. Most fic writers have beta readers. Hell, it's recommended by most to have one if you have access to one.
This should also help cut down on your habit of rereading yourself over and over again. A pair of fresh eyes is often all you need, and having someone's encouragment that your fic is a good one should help give you confidence.

Finally... be kind to yourself. You've had a difficult past with writing, and because of it, you have a mean something in your ear telling you everything you make sucks and you should stop writing. No matter how untrue that is (it's very untrue), this is the biggest obstacle any creative can have to deal with. I've cried countless times when trying to be creative and struggling. But so long as you stick with it, so long as you hold your own hand through the scary part and defy the little bitch in your ear trying to knock you down, you'll find it gradually becoming more and more quiet. Rely on your friends, who tell you your writing is good. Rely on the positive feedback you got on your previous works. Ask for support if you need it. You're not alone in this fight against yourself. Many of us have your back.

I don't know how helpful any of this is, but I hope it helped assuage your fears with writing even a little! Writing is a wonderful art form, one that I feel is undervalued, and I'm glad you're showing so much interest in picking it back up. I've read your stuff; you're more than capable of writing something moving, funny, beautiful, scary... any emotion you want to convey, I have full confidence you can convey it! If you need anything else or have any questions, I'm more than happy to help at any point; I'm only a click away!

 

[beasttrash]

I feel like we're in very similar boats celeste! (also writing a multi-chapter fic, not my first but one of them.) For many years I felt really pigeonholed in my creative pursuits (I could only draw, not write.) and it kind of stalled me from being able to pursue writing despite the fact I really enjoy it!! I've only been writing consistently since about 2020. Before that there were a few blips, and I actually published one unfinished fic here in Bulba back in 2013.

I feel like the thing that's helped me is knowing that my fanfic is first and foremost self-indulgent. The audience in mind is myself, and if anyone else walks into the theater and enjoys what I'm showing on screen then great! Even though I'm not really writing with them in mind. Not just that, but fanfic should be fun from start to finish. If you're having fun writing, and putting the scenes playing out in your head to paper or screen, then you're already winning. No matter what skill level you're at, the only way to get better at writing is to keep doing it and enjoying what you're doing. You can't worry about your writing sounding bad if the intended audience is yourself and you've enjoyed writing it. This gets me through worrying about typos, errors and mischaracterization.

That said, I also think its good to share your work with the class (i.e: us.) Feedback is good for the soul and its how we get better at the technical aspects of writing. While I don't think feedback is an expectation of posting to a community or social media in general (meaning: I post writing/art with no expectation it will recieve any interaction.) but its good to take notes and understand what's working about a fic and what's not hitting. It might help you over a creative slump or writers block you might be having with your fic. This is also kind of my motivation in wanting to post this multi-chapter fic that doesn't have a clear ending quite yet.

Another thing, go at your own pace. It's okay to stop and plan better if you think you need it, unlike TV shows you do not have to follow an schedule and always produce perfect chapters. If you don't like where the story is going or don't feel invested anymore, you're always free to reinvent it.

Yeah yeah yeah, the issue I often run into with mult-chapter fics is having to preplan all of it in advance to keep myself motivated to write it. Fic can and should be written at your pace, and don't worry too much if it goes on for too long.

-Go to the library on most days where it's open (this isn't something everyone can do for various real life reasons, but really the core of this is to separate your place of work and your place of leisure. Writing takes a lot of focus, and being distracted by all the things you love around you can be a genuine hurdle)

yaaaaaay library mention! we LOVE libraries!! you can ask your local librarian where you can find books on writing too!!

Also, rely on your loved ones! No matter how badly you think of your writing, I can guarantee the people you love do not think the same way. Once you have something down, have it beta read by someone you trust! It's less intimidating if it's just your friend, your sister or your partner reading something, rather than the entire world all at once. And if they tell you it's good... well, it has to be, right? They wouldn't lie to you, after all. (This is how I reason with myself when I'm down about anything and ask for advice.) I'd be more than happy to do that for you, if you want me to! And don't feel bad for asking for that service. Most fic writers have beta readers. Hell, it's recommended by most to have one if you have access to one.
This should also help cut down on your habit of rereading yourself over and over again. A pair of fresh eyes is often all you need, and having someone's encouragment that your fic is a good one should help give you confidence.

I agree 100% here, although ngl sometimes I move ahead w/o a beta because sometimes I just wanna post what I wrote and see what people think of it lol.

 

[terashards]

thank you for all of the insight everyone! i read over everything and have been mulling it over for a bit.

if i’m being honest, getting better at writing isn’t really my main focus right now. my anxiety is too deepset to be able to envision studying the technical aspects of writing as anything more than just More Stress. i would love to eventually get to the point where focusing on that is productive for me but at the moment i am super focused on just getting in the habit of Opening The Page At All and Writing Anything because i often get paralyzed just looking at my work or at the blank page. i want to get Something out there and say that i did it, even if the end result is messy or not the best writing in the world, if that makes sense. (that being said i still greatly appreciate the suggestion of taking a creative writing class! and despite all my insecurities i do still welcome concrit, i just need it on the gentler side to be productive for where i’m currently at in this whole journey)

i also appreciate the advice about the library though i’d have to adapt it for my current situation because i do not actually have a method of consistently getting to the library right now (public transit inaccessible, cannot drive though i’m working towards that) so i will have to mull over alternatives. the point is to be somewhere quiet and with less distractions and i can kinda just do that in my house. i spend the vast majority of my day in my bedroom so just walking downstairs to write in pretty much any other room would be a good separated environment for me. i find myself using notepad to write a lot just because i find the casualness of it weirdly stress relieving (a whole google doc or whatever feels too formal and activates my anxiety) so maybe i’ll see if there’s a way to fullscreen it all the way while blocking the taskbar (maybe F11 works? lol i can’t test it right now because i’m typing this from my phone. i am curled up exhausted in bed trying to store up energy to get me through my night class in an hour)

nicolas brought up some good points about planning. my fic outline has perhaps been overly detailed. i mean, i’ve been agonizing over it on and off for like, a year now instead of just writing anything. now having NO plans would also be stressful for me; i don’t want to feel aimless and i don’t want to write myself into a corner and i think having plans will also help me schedule out my writing time. but it did make me think about Just How Much i am trying to know Everything in advance and how it may be holding me back. i think with a multi chapter fic i really want to have a satisfying ending and a satisfying plot that actually conveys the potentially complex themes i want to convey, but i don’t trust myself to be able to do that without knowing every single little detail first. i do not trust myself with the writing process or being able to write something coherent “on the fly.” and it would probably be good for me if i could trust fall into that a little more and allow myself to Just Start Writing.

this also brings me to my next thought that spawned from this, which is i think i am holding myself to the standards of like, a novelist and not someone publishing fanfiction by the chapter for free on the internet. mem is right that fic is self indulgent and should be fun. but also on top of that… novelists will write entire drafts of their novel and then go back and rewrite it or change entire parts. i am planning on releasing a multi chapter fic in multiple parts where it is not as easy to go back and change things; it’s not like i can erase the story from people’s minds after it’s out there. and that should be alright! i don’t need to have the perfect novel before i publish anything! i’m not trying to be a professional and i’m writing for a completely different format.

as for beta reading, at the very least i know that i have people who would do that for me and be kind. mia of course (thank you very much) and cynthia offered (ty!) and like, my girlfriend’s whole thing is writing so i know they have my back too. i should really allow other people to beta read and try to put an end to that habit of anxiously repetitively reading my own work because at a point it just makes everything i wrote look and sound like mush to me.

i’m unsure when exactly i’ll get back to this god forsaken multi chapter fic that i’ve been planning just because i’m so busy right now but when i do i feel like i have a little more direction so thank you everyone

 

[digitaldreams]

(meowth voice) i'm here on the scene. as the girlfriend in question, i wanted to throw my hat in the ring for advice now that i am aware of this thread existing with a few tips that help me out with writing.

first of all, worrying too much about planning is the number one way to trip yourself up. if you feel like you have to plan out every single word in excruciating detail for just a first draft, then the pressure is going to be too much to bear, and you're not going to be able to get over the hurdle of starting. personally, i like to outline just enough that i have an idea of what needs to be accomplished maybe with some more specification for certain points that require a bit more detail. for example, if you're writing a mystery story, there might be some things that need more detail than others to keep the details in line with the rest of the narrative and mystery at hand. planning too much though can turn it into an anticipation game, and no matter how hard you work on that draft, it'll never match the idea that you've built up in your head. it'll never be perfect, and you'll make yourself feel worse because you couldn't live up to your expectations. i say this from experience because i have done this before. i'll write something i was really looking forward to, but because i built it up in my head so much, it feels underwhelming at the final product even though other people love it. it's hard if you're naturally a person who anticipates, but try to not anticipate too too much since it cane leave you dreading starting or dreading finishing because it's not the perfect shining idea you had in your head.

secondly, all writing is good writing! it doesn't matter if it's a masterpiece of literature or perfect; as long as you're writing words on the page, that is good progress. words are words are words, and if you are inching along at any pace, then that is good. don't beat yourself up too much if you think that something you wrote isn't "good." the fact that you wrote at all, especially if you have reservations around it, is good. i'm glad you're not trying to worry too much about becoming a better writer with this and just getting stuff down honestly because that pressure can also be a deterrent for people. skill will increase naturally with time, and literally any progress at all is good.

next, i find that it helps to sit down and write for a set period of time. i love doing writing sprints where you sit down with other people, write for a set amount of time, and then submit your word count when the timer goes off to show that you've made progress. it's a nice way to lock in and focus for just a little bit and do some work on your project. doing a little bit every day will make it feel a bit more manageable than the monster of a long fic that you have built up in your head. rome wasn't built in a day, and my longest stories were built up over the course of years too. that's the case for every writer. baby steps are still steps, and i think setting up a routine where you do a little bit every day goes a long way. even if you're slower than usual one day or don't get much done, you're still doing stuff, and that's something to be proud of.

at the same time, don't write when you're super burnt out either. if you find that you're ramming your head against a wall trying to figure something out, take a breather and come back to it. talk about it with other people. i would also say that you shouldn't do this with editing. if you're editing something and it just doesn't feel right, then don't push through it. come back to it later. there's no shame in waiting. you don't need to build it up in your head to the point of it feeling horrible unless it's perfect. it's not 0 or 100. it's okay to move slow, and it's okay to take breaks as needed. don't force yourself to do it if you're really not feeling it. just take it at a pace that helps you.

and last but not least, remember that this is for fun. this is for you above all else, and if other people happen to like it, then that's awesome. but it's not a requirement. writing for engagement only ends up making you miserable (again speaking from personal experience), so just... go slow. do what you enjoy, and if you need help, ask. as Girlfriend, i am happy to help. anticipate less, write more, and have fun. you've got this.

 

[terashards]

it's okay to move slow, and it's okay to take breaks as needed. don't force yourself to do it if you're really not feeling it. just take it at a pace that helps you.

said with love but i think i could repeat this advice back to you sometimes (i'm being silly)

secondly, all writing is good writing! it doesn't matter if it's a masterpiece of literature or perfect; as long as you're writing words on the page, that is good progress.

things i tell myself while thinking about my fic in the shower (i am trying so hard to believe it)

anyway, thank you... i've told you a little bit about the fic i've been agonizing about and i might ask for help with finishing up my outline because there are some core points i really want to get down before i start writing but also maybe i need someone to hold me accountable for not continuing to endlessly agonize and fill in too much detail lol. might ask to see some of your outlines too (though i thought they were on the longer side...?)

writing sprints scare me a little because i am just not that fast of a writer. i type quickly but i do not think through my sentences nearly as quickly. but i do agree that setting aside time would be useful. i just need to like, be nicer to myself if it's hard to get in the zone or i don't always write a ton in that time period. (i do think time is a better metric for me than word count right now just because i write so infrequently that i don't know what my average word count in a session is like... at all)

i really appreciate your insight as well, thank you for adding your thoughts Augh

 

[AetherX]

Been mulling over this thread since I saw it earlier this week. I am partial to chapter fics myself, both as a writer and a reader, so I really want to encourage everyone to give them a shot.

Although you mention a number of different sources of anxiety, I think one really stands out as nailing the truly hardest part of writing a long story: just finishing the dang thing. You can't stop after a single chapter or arc and call it a one-shot. You can't write a single scene that fulfills your inspiration and upload it as a drabble. You've gotta write the whole thing all the way through start to finish. It's hard. It takes a long time. But it's so so so rewarding. I'm kind of an extreme example, but it took me ten years to finish my journey fic. I don't think it will take you nearly as long, but if it does then that's totally ok.

On that note, one piece of advice I would give is a simple reminder that no one cares as much about your story as you do. Literally any source of anxiety that comes from "what will people think" should be thrown away. Compared to how much you care and how much time and effort you put into it, no one else will think about your story much at all. Even the readers who follow diligently and read and review every chapter have only a tiny fraction of the care that you have for your work. You will feel bad enough about every typo and mischaracterization and pacing issue all on your own. Don't worry about others. I don't know if that's a helpful way to think about it at all, but it's what's made me care a lot less about potential feedback.

You also mention a kind of fear of the blank page. I get that. Honestly part of the reason I write longfics is because I'm terrified of starting something new, so I just stick to what I already have. Which is to say, that feeling will definitely go away. You'll eventually have a big document full of words and notes and scraps of prose that you cut out but leave at the bottom of the document in case you want to use it somewhere else. It's easier to add another tree or cloud to a landscape painting than to start a new one from scratch. I can assure you that before you know it, that's where you'll be. You mentioned having an outline, which is great. I honestly don't think there is such a thing as a "overly detailed" outline. If it's easier than starting to write properly, then keep adding more detail. At some point it will essentially just become the story. Write a couple lines of dialogue from the climax, an eloquent bit of description from the middle, or just start from the beginning. Eventually you'll have a story you're adding on to rather than starting out.

Related to my "no one cares as much as you" note, remember that you are your own boss for this project. Cut yourself some slack. You don't have a deadline to hit. An upload schedule is a recommendation at best and no one will really mind if you don't stick to it. There is no punishment for taking too long. One of my go-to methods for alleviating anxiety around both uploading and also going back and revising is to sit on a chapter for a while. At least a week. After a point, I stop caring or even forget. "Oh yeah, I finished that chapter last week, I guess I should go back and take a look at it." I end up both being a lot nicer to myself and also seeing my writing from a more objective standpoint once I've had some space from it. And similarly when it comes to uploading, it doesn't feel as risky to upload something I basically forgot that I wrote lol. It's also worth reminding you that you don't have to upload every chapter as soon as its done. You can build up a buffer of a few chapters before uploading in case you think you'll want to go back and fix something. I've start writing and uploading my stories arcs at a time rather than chapters. Hell, while we're at it it's worth mentioning that you are allowed to go back and make edits to chapters you've already uploaded. Extensive ones even. No one can stop you. Legally.

I guess this is all to say: don't be too hard on yourself. Take it at whatever pace works for you. If you want to do sprints, go for it. But always remember you can make them longer time periods or have shorter word count goals. Again, no one can stop you. The most helpful thing you can do is stick to it. Don't give up or start over or anything like that. Write what you can when you can. Eventually you'll be done. And that will feel really nice.

Sorry if this is kind of rambly and unhelpful. I hope it helps at least a little bit because I ended up writing this up tonight instead of reading your fic for book club lol.

 

[Greninjaman]

My advice is this: Write for your own entertainment first. Don't post right away. Wait to post until you are happy with what you have (and have multiple chapters done). I made that mistake myself. This is YOUR story, YOUR rules. If someone else is dictating what should be in the story, then is it really your story or theirs? Also, don't rush. Take your time.

 

[LightningTopaz]

Above all--write what YOU want to write, no matter what anyone else might say.

If you're stuck for ideas, keep a notebook or notepad app close by--even if inspiration hits at 2 AM!

Don't limit yourself to just the good stuff for inspiration--the bad and just okay material have lessons to teach you too.

If you're genuinely, truly stuck, it's okay to walk away from your story for a bit--see what inspires you in the meantime.