Advice/Help Not improving at all

[hwayi]

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*Hello there friends*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ ​

I was here, sitting, thinking about my problem that I have discovered. I started roleplaying perhaps 5 years ago and I honestly feel like my writing has not improved for the past 2 years. I feel like I've been stuck in these same archetypes and writing style for ages. I feel like I'm never satisfied with my writing and constantly compare to others who only seem to improve every month. I have a hard time dressing things I want my character to feel to words? Just wondering if anyone else has ever been stuck in this state too, and it would be even better if you'd tell your story of how you got out of it ^

 

[rae2nerdy]

I find reading more helps. Also getting an objective opinion. We are often our own worst critics.

I would see if you cant get a beta reader to look over specific posts and offer tips for improvement.

Reading a variety of books also helps as it exposes you to different writing styles you can mimic.

 

[Malphaestus]

Personally I've also been writing for quite some time, and have had dips and dives in my confidence when it comes to writing every so often.

In due honesty, this isn't really something that I believe can be dealt with in a flash, but rather by grueling and incredibly boring repetitive training.

I used to write personal stories in my google drive, painfully repeating the same scenario in whichever way I could word it differently, and doing these types of exercises continuously, I feel has helped me improve at writing, at least on a fundamental level. There is also the aspect of confidence of course. Science has made it common knowledge that people perform better when confident, and improving ones confidence is its own individual task.

I wish you best of luck, and of course, improving is a life-long commitment.

 

[hwayi]

I find reading more helps. Also getting an objective opinion. We are often our own worst critics.

I would see if you cant get a beta reader to look over specific posts and offer tips for improvement.

Reading a variety of books also helps as it exposes you to different writing styles you can mimic.

Maybe I really should start reading more. Thanks for the advice ^

Personally I've also been writing for quite some time, and have had dips and dives in my confidence when it comes to writing every so often.

In due honesty, this isn't really something that I believe can be dealt with in a flash, but rather by grueling and incredibly boring repetitive training.

I used to write personal stories in my google drive, painfully repeating the same scenario in whichever way I could word it differently, and doing these types of exercises continuously, I feel has helped me improve at writing, at least on a fundamental level. There is also the aspect of confidence of course. Science has made it common knowledge that people perform better when confident, and improving ones confidence is its own individual task.

I wish you best of luck, and of course, improving is a life-long commitment.

That sounds like an interesting way to develop. I guess I should really try and improve by actually practicing lol. I wouldn't say I have a low confidence when it comes writing since I am still here and not ashamed enough to stop. Let's just hope that I'll get past this block one day...

 

[welian]

You might find this chart useful. It could be that your writing is improving in ways that aren't related to what you're hoping to see. Maybe you're getting faster at thinking of the words you want, maybe you're getting better at describing locations and items but not emotions yet.

 

[Onmyoji]

There were very good points and advice above so I'm not going to repeat.

Just want to add that if you feel you're stuck writing same archetypes, try to step out of your comfort zone and create characters that are completely opposite, or maybe the types you don't even like. You don't need to rp them, just creating is enough so that you could analyze what's different about them from what you usually write.
If you like to rp the same archetypes, there is nothing wrong with that. But if you feel like you're stuck, maybe trying something new will help to see a new perspective on your own writing.

 

[Idea]

Alright so twosmall points

1. It may be that, as you improve and attain experience, you are also holding yourself up to a higher standard. Did you use to think as much about the right way to express your character'a emotions for instance? Are you maybe trying to express emotions in more ambitious ways or feeling that are more dubious and complex than the kinds you used to?

2. You heard the saying "don't fix what isn't broken", but that means as well, that you should aim to fix what IS broken. Confronting our flaws, our real flaws, always hurts the most. We tend to run from it. Instead, try looking for them. Try to have others point them out for you, figure out where your strengths and weaknesses are and hammer on this weaknesses.


Also, as an aside, one thing that really helped me when I was starting out was research on writing. People often make light of theoretical knowledge, but grasping the fundamentals is a strong component of bending them effectively. I recommend in particular listening to the free podcast "writing excuses".

Hope this helps. Good luck and happy RPing!

 

[hwayi]

You might find this chart useful. It could be that your writing is improving in ways that aren't related to what you're hoping to see. Maybe you're getting faster at thinking of the words you want, maybe you're getting better at describing locations and items but not emotions yet.

Yeah, I always have these certain scenarios and emotions in my head but have a hard time getting them out the right way!

There were very good points and advice above so I'm not going to repeat.

Just want to add that if you feel you're stuck writing same archetypes, try to step out of your comfort zone and create characters that are completely opposite, or maybe the types you don't even like. You don't need to rp them, just creating is enough so that you could analyze what's different about them from what you usually write.
If you like to rp the same archetypes, there is nothing wrong with that. But if you feel like you're stuck, maybe trying something new will help to see a new perspective on your own writing.

I've tried but still somehow I manage to be somewhat repetitive? Maybe it's my writing style then.

Alright so twosmall points

1. It may be that, as you improve and attain experience, you are also holding yourself up to a higher standard. Did you use to think as much about the right way to express your character'a emotions for instance? Are you maybe trying to express emotions in more ambitious ways or feeling that are more dubious and complex than the kinds you used to?

2. You heard the saying "don't fix what isn't broken", but that means as well, that you should aim to fix what IS broken. Confronting our flaws, our real flaws, always hurts the most. We tend to run from it. Instead, try looking for them. Try to have others point them out for you, figure out where your strengths and weaknesses are and hammer on this weaknesses.


Also, as an aside, one thing that really helped me when I was starting out was research on writing. People often make light of theoretical knowledge, but grasping the fundamentals is a strong component of bending them effectively. I recommend in particular listening to the free podcast "writing excuses".

Hope this helps. Good luck and happy RPing!

I should probably check that out too! Thanks a lot!

 

[Idea]

I've tried but still somehow I manage to be somewhat repetitive? Maybe it's my writing style then.

How in depth do you go when formulating your characters? Truly exploring the depths and consequences of each aspect of a character often helps in making them stand out as iunique individuals.