some tips i have:
- make a consistent character voice, remembering to write through their perspective, giving them a personality beyond just "shy, flustered highschool y/n"
- vary your sentence structures (e.g. adding a very short sentence to create a tense atmosphere), using language techniques such as metaphors (e.g. "Your affection is like a warm blanket, wrapping me in comfort.")
- create chemistry between the characters, giving them shared interests, for example, that they can bond over
- give the protagonist (y/n) a goal that isn't to do with their lover, For example, you could say that y/n stayed behind after school to work on a project they wanted to get good grade for, and maybe the love interest stayed behind to help them (very cliche i know i know)
- Show, don't tell: Instead of saying "I was scared," describe the physical sensations: "My heart hammered against my ribs, and the air felt too thick to breathe".
- Limit words like "I", using a variety of ways to describe y/n.
creating a plot:
write down the following headings:
- main character (who leads the story)
- situation at the start
- motivation (what your character wants)
- what disturbs the situation at the start (conflict)
- developments (what happens next)
- climax (the peak of the story, usually where things start coming to an end)
- resolution (how things resolve)
- epilogue (what happens after the story ends, cute for seeing a domestic couple in the future!)
then, summarise these into one paragraph or less, before starting to flesh it out into a complete draft. usually having someone read over your finished story after you have edited it is good for getting a second opinion. i'm always available if you need someone to do that for you!
remember to consistently practice to improve your writing skills, and enjoy!
