First off, thank you for the compliment, both on the fact
that you like my writing and that you would ask me for tips. That is definitely
high praise indeed.

The first thing is just
keep writing. Now, that may sound odd but the phrase practice makes perfect
wasn’t said for nothing. The more you do something, the better (hopefully) you
will become because you will grow the existing skills you have.
 
Read…a lot. And I’m not just talking other imagines, though
that does help. Read books, read multi-chapter fanfictions of your favorite
shows, read different genres of stories to help glean their tones. Often there
are multiple tones which can occur in a story even if you have a centralized
theme (romance, horror, etc) so having a pile of inspiration to draw from is
helpful. Also, re-read stories you love with the intent to pay attention at how
you’re feeling, what you’re seeing in your mind. Notate what about the story
draws you in and think how to emulate (not copy of course) that in your own.
 
Keep a journal or notebook (paper and electronic) to write
down new ideas, plot points, dialogue, scene set up, etc. Inspiration can hit
at almost any time and it really sucks to have a GREAT idea or to work out a
plot point that was giving you trouble only to forget it later because you didn’t
write it down.
 
Get your ideas out but try not to critique too much as you
go. Some of that is fine because you don’t want to create double work for
yourself when editing. But I find that sometimes when I’m paying too much
attention to finer details I lose my overall focus of what I’m trying to say.
So instead, I just write what’s in my head and allow myself to worry about
trimming it down later. This works for me, it may not for you or others and truthfully,
I don’t do it all the time. But when I allow myself the freedom to just write sometimes I find my best stuff
comes out because I’m not overly criticizing it as I go which can stifle
creativity very quickly. I hope that made sense.
 
The above leads into the next: Re-read your work repeatedly. The first time, look for
grammatical, spelling, punctuation, and tense errors. Clean up the mess
(because it happens to all of us).
 
After you finish editing as above, step away from what you
just wrote and let it sit. I don’t always follow this because I get impatient
with myself but when I do manage to I’ve found my writing is of a higher
quality. If you can let it sit for a whole day without revisiting it, it gives
you a chance to read it with fresh eyes when you go back.
 
Now, after you’ve let it sit, if you’re working on a
multi-chapter, read the previous chapter and go right into the next. Check the
flow and makes sure everything makes sense. Does it feel choppy? Too wordy? Not
enough description? Too much description? How does the dialogue, feel/sound?
What can you do to convey your message as cleanly and simply as possible?
Writing with great description and detail is fine but our brains are really
good at filling in gaps using our imagination. We don’t have to spell
everything out.
 
When doing the second read through, if something feels like
it doesn’t fit or may fit later or you even wonder what the heck you were
thinking, don’t delete it. Open a separate
word doc and take what I call the scraps and put them there. Label however you
need to in order to remember what they are for. I usually have a scrap doc open
for any story I’m writing and use it only for that story. If I start a new one,
I open a new scrap doc and use it. This way, if you came up with a really great
scene that just didn’t feel well placed in one part of your story, you already
have it ready to go for the next. I’ve even had lines of dialogue that felt
more appropriate for later in the story and just hung onto them until I could
use them.
 
Finish your cut and paste then let it sit again if you can.
Again, this is to allow your brain time to step away from what you’re so close
to so that when you read it one last time you’re not filling in gaps or
glossing over errors because your brain is supplying the answers and your eyes
aren’t able to see them.
 
If you have someone you can trust that will give you honest
feedback, ask them to read it. Take their opinions and apply changes where
necessary. I have one person I bounce stuff off of and it helps me a lot. If
you don’t want to have someone you know personally do it, seek out a beta
reader.
 
Don’t give in trolls, just don’t. If someone has something
constructive say, listen with a grain of salt because you CAN’T PLEASE
EVERYONE. I stress this because I have to remind myself of it often.
 
The biggest thing to remember is: have fun. Writing like
this, while challenging, is supposed to be fun. It’s an indulgence to explore
options for characters you love so make sure you’re enjoying it!
 
I hope that answers your question and isn’t too
overwhelming. Everything I described above can be used for imagines/scenarios
too and your blog will stand out if you apply them.Thanks again for following, reading and reaching out. I’m
happy to help if you ever have any more questions. You can send an ask or DM me
if you like.