Tom’s eyebrows rose. “She is? Should we save Little Women for Mama and start a chapter book of our own?” With that, he pulled out the first book of the Harry Potter Series – the very first book his Mother read to him. His fingers ran over the cover and a smile came to his face. He remembered it so fondly, despite it taking place during some of the hardest times of his life. “Gram used to read this book to Daddy when he was little like you. Should we read it together?”
a young child: *tells me basic knowledge*
me: no way!!!!!!!! 00000000000:
Something I’ve seen people complain about often is that they want to plot, but potential partners rely on them to do most of the work. This is generally frustrating for everyone involved, so here are some helpful things to keep in mind when approaching someone to plot if you’re drawing a blank:
Threads
- Establish a basic dynamic between characters. Discuss with your partner whether or not your muses should have already met (as not everyone enjoys first encounters as thread material), and regardless of the answer, take a moment to work out basic thoughts, feelings, and relationships. Are they likely to get along? What would their basic opinion of each other be? What reasons would they have to meet each other, and more importantly, to see each other again after that?
- Ask about your partner’s muse. This is extra true if it’s the first time you and your partner are writing together. Things go smoother when you understand each other’s portrayal well. Get a feel for how your partner writes their muse to avoid awkwardness early on.
- Talk about verses. It’s always nice when interactions fit neatly within both yours and your partner’s main verse, but sometimes you might find other verses work better. Don’t be afraid to explore those possibilities.
- Discuss preferred genres. Everyone has something they love to write. Try to find common ground with your partner. Maybe you both like angst. Maybe you both like action. Whatever you prefer, it will be easiest to write if you aim for something that appeals to both of you. On that note…
- Ask for their wishlist. A lot of people are too shy to ask for specific kinds of interactions they enjoy, but may have a tag for posts detailing exactly what they want. It’ll save both of you a lot of trouble to just read through a list of scenarios your partner wants to explore, and pick whatever happens to appeal to you.
Ships
- Learn to take no for an answer. The first rule of asking someone if they want to ship with you is that you have to be ready to be rejected. Do not reach out to anyone for shipping if you aren’t willing to be mature and back down if they say no!
- Be honest about what you want out of a ship. There’s some reason you want to ship with your partner, so go ahead and bring that up with them.
- Be open to developing the ship. Not everyone wants to jump right in, and sometimes, they may not even be sure they want to write a ship at all. Try starting with a one-sided crush or something similar so their muse can decide how they feel after interacting for awhile.
- Value their portrayal. It’s fine if you’re asking to ship simply because you like your muse with a certain character, but remember that each mun has their version of that character and is more than just a blank slate for you to force your ship bias onto. Understand that they won’t necessarily act out your every fantasy with you. If you cannot accept that their portrayal is still their own even while shipping, don’t ask to ship.
Alternatively send ⚕️ to receive a scolding from my muse because yours is sick and refuses to get rest
I know it’s past 4am, but I just wanted to say how incredibly happy I am with how Tom is doing. Like, his characterization, his backstory, Dad!Tom, all of it. I’m so proud of where I’ve come as a writer in even just a couple months, and I look forward to the coming weeks leading to the new year.
me: [facedown on the floor] listen everything is totally fine
Their laughter filled the room, and Tom’s heart nearly burst with joy as the laughter bubbled all around them. As the spinning and dancing ceased, Tom snuggled his daughter close, much like she was holding her doll. “Of course! Let’s go pick one out together, hmm?” He carried her to the bookshelf in the living room, crouching down to the bottom three shelves that were chock-full of children’s books. “Should we read a picture book or a chapter book?” Tom asked, pulling a few of each from the shelf.
Tom’s eyes grew wide as his daughter grew serious, and a small gasp escaped his throat. He always loved the magic the surrounded Christmas, and he loved the twinkle that was in his daughter’s eye around the holidays. “You really think so?” He asked, scooping his daughter and her doll up into his arms. “Then it’ll be our little secret!” He laughed, swinging her around in a circle.
Muse Page & Rules Page are now mobile-friendly!
Brief Bios are there for all muses, but the document is still under construction & I’ll finish it up in the next few days!
“I know, honey,” Tom cooed, his voice being interrupted as his daughter’s voice erupted with excitement. A grin spread across his face like wildfire, his heart bursting with joy at her excitement of matching him. “Yup! In fact, I betcha it will perfectly match Daddy’s! But Shhhhh,” he said, raising a finger to his lips. “You can’t tell anyone that I told you Santa’s secret, or Santa might put me on the naughty list!”
Cisco backup