Extra steps you're so glad you took when writing your story

[Leyelle]

1. marketing my series
2. renaming it and redesigning the cover (it's so much better now)
3. working with an editor (and swallowing my ego a few times)

And that applies for both "Hushabye Prince" and "Damsel in the Red Dress" they are both so much better for me taking those extra steps.

[Leyelle]

For "Hushabye Prince" Researching hairstyles and fashion statements rather than just trying to think up outfits off the top of my head. it's fun, and also helped me create more unique aesthetics for each character.

In regards to "Damsel in the Red Dress" researching struggles of wheelchair bound people, and details about cars that can be made for them, it added to the story in a way I hadn't even imagined.

[TheBlacKat333]

Making fully sure I actually liked the character designs. Sure, they looked good when I first drew them, but they weren’t perfect. They’re still not perfect now, but I fixed everything that irked me before, and they’re much more fun to draw

[Leyelle]

Never settle, give your characters your absolute best, because the worst thing is to create something you dislike or unhappy with

[Leyelle]

I rewrote the chapter "Cooties" like 3-4 times, but I'm so glad I did. I really think it's final form is it's best one and while it could have bee 'useable' or 'acceptable' in it's earlier form, I want the most impact I can bring to a chapter. Sometimes that means sucking it up and reworking te story again and again until I can really bring those emotions or do the ideas justice

[Leyelle]

Designing backstories for the characters that go beyond what is likely to be mentioned outright in the story. I've heard some people say that writing additional backstory is a waste of time, but I think that when you want to write characters that really feel like living people, it's easiest to do this when you know the details of what makes them who they are, what their lives are like outside of the snap shots you get to see. Etc.

Example: I know quite a lot about the lifestyles of Mrs. Moon's friends Jun and Daphne, their children, marriages/lack thereof, and so on. And how these things effect or were effected by their views of the world.

Read Damsel in the Red Dress :: Magenta Flags | Tapas Community

[Leyelle]

Writing bonus chapters from Kasttar's POV. I actually learned a lot more about the story doing this and I highly suggest it for other people to try as a writing exercise. You'll probably end up adding or writing in details that weren't dwelt on in the original scenes, and that'll give you knew insight on the things that took place.

Read Damsel in the Red Dress :: Kattar's POV: Ring Around the Rosy (10k Reads...

[skidiggy]

• Writing down EVERYTHING. Even if it's on a pile of sticky notes that is high enough to reach the Sun. As long as it's written down somewhere, it can get used in the future.
• Making a detailed Excel spreadsheet calendar with major events plotted along a timeline. This helps with avoiding anachronisms, mistakes, and muddy pacing.
• Mine your life for ideas. I can't tell you how often something mundane from my "civilian" life has some sort of bearing on Apparent Secrets. You never know what will come in handy. (see point one, lol)

[Leyelle]

Mine your life for ideas. I can't tell you how often something mundane from my "civilian" life has some sort of bearing on Apparent Secrets.

It's the same with DITRD. Lot's of things are based on my own life, and like a lot based on my grandmother, it's basically unreasonable

[skidiggy]

I feel that. It becomes more personal, more real along the way, too.

[Leyelle]

Spending enough time trying to figure out Essence's way of narrating in "A Dozen Morning Glories" so that it would properly suit her personality. I naturally gravitate toward a style of narration like Alicia's but it didn't suit Essence, so while learning to speak in Essence's narrative voice was tricky, I definitely believe it was worth the effort, otherwise the story wouldn't have it's full effect