How to write longer? Or mastering your writing? by Ratih Farida

 

This article actually was kinda inspired by people on twitter who asked something about how to write long fics. So, here's my answer as a professional!

This tweet anyway, click if you're interested!

And my answer there with some designs lol

First off, no need to force yourself to write something longer. No need to follow the trend or fandom culture. Write only what you desire or love no matter how short it —the length is. Because good stories aren't always about how long the word counts are. As long as your fics fit the theme, title and you have your own purpose as in to tell anyone about the moral of the story —the strength of the value, your fics are considered successful.

I've seen many long fics that aren't really that good or potential enough. Some of them even sound so forced, as if maybe they just want to show how proud they are to write so long like that. Especially those with a heavily slow start within the first chapters. I'm sorry to say, as an editor or an experienced judge myself I would never consider to continue reading those. 

The stories like that are way too heavy, time consuming —that somehow will waste your time, especially when you find them aren't appealing enough. In fact in real markets, those kinds of stories already exhaust or even upset the real readers. In the worst case, that apparently kills the appealing points of your books –that will lead to the point of no return for your readers to be excited for the next chapters of your books. Your editors also will tell you to cut off all those long word counts; for example, from 250K words to 50K, which means it would double up your works, and does it exhaust you as well as a writer? Of course it extremely does.

So, if I were you I would definitely avoid this. I would only write long fics when it's necessary —writing long fics again would never be my first goal. But still if you're curious enough and still wanna try to write longer, you should read more —as in not only about fanfics but read as a whole for researching to strengthen the value of your story or to make it sound more realistic. If you want, you can also read fiction (published) books, or else if you wanna make things short, you can filter it to only read your specific genre; for example, if you write fantasy then read more fantasy etc.

Next, practice your writing skills using five senses; for example, the smell of lily hung up in the air, somehow it calms you down etc. Show more, don't just tell –to show some emotions and voices within your story; for example, instead of saying I love you, please show more by explaining like this; In the name of fleur de lis, he already promised himself to keep his wife and to take care of her forever with full of love, peace, purity, divine light etc. Then, explore more of your characters –your characters also need to be real as in having strengths and weaknesses as humans, especially your main characters; For example, when you write a scene about bdsm relationship, there's one character and it's the dominant, they definitely have the strength to protect the submissive with full power but somehow they can also be overprotected despite of the fact they just have a fear of losing his submissive etc.

Also write specific conflicts to build the tension —write climax and anticlimax scenes; for example, you can write such miscommunication types of things that in the end it will lead to having a clear communication as the characters finally have some lessons to learn.

And If you ever read some basic narrative text formula in your younger age, it's definitely useful —that one who has orientation, complication and resolution, please use them! Even me, I always cling to that anyway no matter how old I am, cause that structure will always help me to keep my readers entertained, just so they will stay enjoying my stories (this one only is an additional/bonus advice btw!). Just don't ever forget our basics!

And last, if you still find yourself having some doubts after finishing your story, you can also search for some beta/proof readers. Seek some advice from them about the do’s or dont’s, always be open to critics to improve —but never for the hate. But again, you can always filter some advice from them though, it's never wrong not to use them all. Just do what you think it's best! After all, it's your own story!

Other than that, please don't ever be lazy while re-reading your own story during the whole process of editing. Cause if starting from you, you already feel exhausted that way, how about your readers? Everything starts from you —within ourselves.

That's it, I think? I hope you find this article helpful, and good luck for writing longer —Having your new writing journey experience!