Hello people.
I know I haven't updated in a while. I know I havent't done anything at all in a while.
I have no excuses.
This is the final chapter of this "advice column" and here's some general advice on how to write a good story.
Revise, revise, revise! That means reading your stories over and over again until it's perfect. My own perfectionist English teacher told all of us to read it aloud. You really rake out the problems that way. For my other story(it's a oneshot), I've Seen You Before, I really liked writing it because I liked the story itself. I would go back and reread it, long after it was published and each time, even on the 4th time reading it, I would find a simple spelling mistake or add a detail or clear a point up until I saw no more mistakes.
All the issues I've included in this story are technicality issues. In real life, in real stories, that's not all there is. There is a climax, a story line, a problem, all of that stuff. There are details, the right amount of details so that your reader doesn't get bored with all of the unneccessary comments but is able to get a detailed mind picture. The storyline is the hardest of all to make, and I can't teach you that because I can't write one myself. There is still a lot to learn after that, and you learn it by reading.
Stories are the best if you write them from your heart. Authors have told me they wrote from personal experience. An event that happened to Percy in an AU is the same thing that happened to the author. Annabeth has the same abilities, strengths, or skills as the author. Write from personal experience, because not only do they feel more realistic because of your extentended knowledge on the subject, but you also have more depth to it than if you had written it as if you were Annabeth but you don't have the same ideas and feelings as Annabeth would, which would make it sound a little out of character. But because you've experienced these emotions, events, whatever, it sounds natural.
Sometimes you lose interest in things. That's okay. Leave a note to your faithfuls, like I should have done. Don't leave them hanging for forever like I did. As I move on to my next story, if I do decide to publish it, I'll be writing from my heart. And maybe I'll stay a little longer. We'll see.
But that's not all I meant by writing from your heart. The best stories are the ones that you want to write. When you lose interest, the story isn't as good because your heart isn't in it. Don't always write something that pops into your mind. Like 'I've Seen You Before'. The story line had been in my head and pushed aside countless times before I decided that if I thought about it this often, then I must really like this story. And I did. So write what you like, from your heart.
"A Dream is A Wish Your Heart Makes," a famous Disney Cinderella song. But I find that a dream also makes for some of the most creative ideas I've ever had, all in vivid detail. And maybe it's because you wish for it to happen, and it does, all by your own hand, making it all the more satisfying. Just remember to write hem down as soon as possible.
And last but not least, if you aren't sure about something, search it up. It takes thirty seconds. I've seen dozens of amazing stories that have written "bemused" and used it as not amused, a kind of -_- look(never ever use a face in a story, by the way). Bemused actually means confused. Use things the right way or don't use them at all.
Take your reviewers' advice, even if it's a correction for a spelling error in the first chapter. Go back and fix it. It doesn't take much effort, and makes it easier for new readers to enjoy.
As I end this chapter, and ultimately, this story, I hope you have learned something. I've discovered things of my own as I jump into new fanfictions completely different from this one. I love every single one of you that helped me, by following, favoriting, giving me things and ideas to talk about, or just telling me that you enjoyed it. While I will be deleting this story in a few weeks, maybe just before my school starts(mid-late august), just in time for me to start my new story, I hope you all keep writing. I hope your writing improves to your satisfaction. I'm always here if you need it, for a word of advice, to get something off your chest, or to read your story and scour for any technical mistakes. All it takes is a PM or a review on my other stories.
Stay in contact.
Iris, done.