2005161
Oh, good question! Here's a few things I keep in mind as I'm writing:

1.) Plan. Plan, plan, plan, plan, plan. Know exactly what your story is going to be about before you even sit down to write it. Take the time to scribble out some notes to yourself about what the main narrative arc will look like. Who are your main characters? What is the setting? What is the conflict? How will the conflict be resolved? Know all of these things before you even start to write. You are the author, this is your story... you are the last one who should be surprised by any of this.

2.) Characterization is key. Know your characters. Know how they talk, how they move. Get a feel for who they are on the inside before you expose them to external problems. Know them before you write them.

3.) While you are writing, go back and reread everything that you have written aloud. If something sounds funny or is difficult to say, then it will read poorly as well. Reread and re-write until the passage sounds good and is easy to read aloud.

4.) Find an editor or pre-reader who can help guide you through your narrative. We often miss the mistakes in our own works, both of grammar and story mechanics. Make sure that you fin someone who can stand up to you and make you question your own writing.

I hope these help!

1998936 This might sound dumb, but what are the rules to a good MLP:FiM fanfiction?

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