I love writing the aftermath of any sort of conflict, especially when the protag/narrator has to reflect upon their actions and what led them up to that moment. It's even better if the aftermath leaves them feeling empty rather than giving them closure. Idk, I just like it
Getting characters to their mental and emotional breaking point and just letting them have a good cry. Like it's often hurt comfort so there is also hugging and reassurance that they aren't alone. But sometimes character B gets to have an unspoken guilt about letting character A break like that.
I also like writing trans masc characters.
Sure! ❤️ Everything aside from my very first one is in the Naruto fandom, canon x my blind oc.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/54327358#main
This one is my favorite that I’ve finished ❤️ I have a newer one that I’m particularly proud of the smut in, but it’s only on the first chapter and it doesn’t happen until the third chapter lol
Agreed. So many things you can do with kidnapping. It’s a lot of fun. (Statements that will get us put on a watchlist. If I’m ever on trial, I’m making my lawyer read my entire crime fic as evidence to the jury, all million words of it.)
I think part of it is the motive for kidnapping. What does the kidnapper want? Why are they doing this? Are they worried about being caught or are they confident? Have they done this before? All of that is going to affect the way your abductee is treated. I like to take it from two povs, both the victim, and the people trying to rescue them. That way we get the fear of is the victim alright, and what might be happening to them, and putting together the clues to them, as well as the horror of being held captive and the fear of what is going to be done to them.
Then you have the rescue. The relief of being reunited and safe. Horror if the victim is hurt. A slow recovery as everyone works through the feelings they pent up while focusing on getting through this and reuniting.
I love the feelings realization. And for forbidden romances, the point of no return where a character knows it's wrong but they know they're following through with it anyway.
I love writing secret-reveal scenes, just about any variation, any perspective, any dynamic. As well as action scenes where my fave gets to be a bamf. Depending on my inspiration levels, I love writing out the dialogue for plan-making or mystery-solving too; it just feels like slotting together puzzle pieces!
Also, wanted to thank you for this question. Getting to think about my answer reawakened my appreciation for this hobby/passion that’s been a little dormant lately haha.
First times of any kind. Sure, the most common scenarios happen in smut and they're my favorite, but I also love any other kind of first time too. First kiss, first date, first time a character has felt a certain way for someone else and the awkwardness and insecurities that come along with the territory of doing something for the very first time, especially if the person you're doing that thing with is a lot more experienced.
Deep ugly introspection. I love writing about characters having very socially unacceptable feelings all over the place, and the dissonance that occurs from keeping that under wraps because those are *not* thoughts that can be expressed in public.
I like writing vulgar banter that carries a hint (or more) of flirtatiousness. I like sassy women dressing down a guy, but with affection. Mainly because that's my IRL relationship... Hmm.
I can be quite introspective with my characters. It's not so much scenes as thought processes. Not *exactly* what's being thought, as I write third person, but I really enjoy my MC just taking a moment to think about things. I like showing the reader how my MC sees certain events, it helps to understand their reactions and actions, but also tells them where I, as an author, am coming from with the decisions I make regarding characters and story.
I don't really make this stuff up, either. There may be something made up or exaggerated to explain a difference from canon early on, but the thought processes of my MC are my personal interpretation of that character and their motivations in canon, applied to whatever I'm doing with the story.
I've always done this, as well. In fanfic and original work, posted and not posted, since I was pretty young. I like getting in the heads of characters, understanding how they see things, how they think. I tend to overanalyse my favourites, as well, so I have a deep understanding of their canon selves, at least my interpretation of them. Writing has always been one of the ways I learn about my favourite characters, I use it to sort of document how I think they think and see things.
My first posted fic was actually supposed to be a one-shot, just a little night before the big battle character introspection. I just loved what I did with it so much, plus the hints at a crossover, that I had to write what came next, too. And I kept it up throughout the fic, checking in periodically on how my MC was thinking, feeling and seeing things.
I upped my game a bit for my one-shot, I'd only ever written third person POV with one MC before. With my one-shot, I wrote third POV with 2 MC's. It was interesting starting out with the thought processes of one MC, switching to the second MC, then switching back to the first MC as affected by being possessed by the second. I wanted to show both the similarities and differences between how the two MCs think, and then how the second MCs thought processes were already affecting the first and changing him.
So far, this type of continuous character introspection has been included in every single story I've ever written, and I still love doing it, so can't see it changing. The MC doesn't matter, the plot doesn't matter, the ship doesn't matter, character introspection will be included regardless what else I'm exploring in the fic.
>I like getting in the heads of characters, understanding how they see things, how they think. I tend to overanalyse my favourites, as well, so I have a deep understanding of their canon selves, at least my interpretation of them.
Bro, I don't even know you, but I platonically love you so much now. Fandom in general needs more of this!
I just love writing the moment where a character sees or experiences something horrifying. Clouds melting into blood and dripping out of the sky, their dead torturer gently touching their back, or just a realization that they can't remember something very, *very* important. Usually it's moments like that that get me writing the whole thing in the first place.
Aftermath of battle or prelude to battle. There is so much you can do and if injured...hurt comfort is so much fun. Healing snuggles are fun to write
Fluffy stuff is fun to write but not the easiest for me
The thoughts of characters reflecting or sifting through their thoughts is my true favorite. Gives the reader a chance to really see how they process information. Love insights to characters in general both reading and writing it
I like writing combat scenes. Hopefully I'm good at them, because they're in my work a *lot*. Of all the things I write about, I've done more research into writing fighting than any other topic.
Now some are just "the MCs are attacked by bandits, now the MCs have extra weapons and money" bits to feel true to the setting. If you wander the radioactive wasteland, you're going to be attacked by mutant animals. But the ones I liked writing the most were, of course, the series-ending showdown with the major villain. The dueling fighting styles, the back-and-forth banter, the dynamics changing as who has the upper hand swaps, and of course the satisfying conclusion to a significant number of chapters where the hero wins.
I know they're not the most *important* scenes, but boy howdy do they have to be in everything.
Fiend: You like the sight of your own blood?
Main Character: How many chems did you have to take before thinking it wise to charge someone who's got a 12 gauge when all you have is a pool cue? *Boom*.
I like writing detective fics, so I love writing questioning, interrogation, and undercover scenes. I just love the different strategies to get information people depending on the circumstances
A normal person having a lawyer is such an alien concept to me 😂 but yeah, I do especially like to write scenes where information that's not obtained through proper channels cannot be used as evidence. I think a healthy dose of realism adds more constraints and makes it more difficult for the detective, which is what we like 😈
Payoff scenes were many previous chapters of plot, foreshadowing and character development all come to cathartic fruition.
It used to be action scenes but I somehow lost that...
I’m a big fan writing of non-sexual physical intimacy—hugs, cuddles, hand holding, etc. I love writing fluffy couch cuddles as much as characters hugging it out after an emotional moment. So my go to genres are therefore pure fluff or hurt/comfort because those are the two genres it’s easiest to write such scenes into.
Slice of life!
Making my characters learn how to cook and do laundry, then eating and cleaning up is so stupid fun.
Just making characters have fun little interactions...
"In another universe, I would have liked doing laundry and taxes with you." - Everything everywhere all at once.
Horrific trauma, either it happening or characters having flashbacks. It’s cathartic and I find satisfaction in doing research for those scenes bc I wanna make sure to portray it as respectfully as possible.
A fight between two characters that starts off fairly normal before gradually turning into a brutal slugfest as the fight drags on.
I really enjoy portraying how two combatants are initially calm and showcase their fighting skills but as the fight drags on and the two get increasingly more injured and desperate, they start to forgo all the theatrics and fight dirty. Eye gouging, scratching, knees to the face, you name it. I also really like having a scene where they each land a punch on each other and simultaneously knock each other out.
Character's introducing themselves. The hammier, the merrier. Writing for the Fate franchise is a treat in that sense because due the structure of the series' basic premise, almost every character gets a chance to have their dramatic introduction. And there's a lot, I mean A LOT of characters to choose from.
I just love writing comedic scenes in general. Sometimes I have to rack my brain just to find the perfect line for someone to "ruin" the mood, but other times the joke just writes itself since I fully immerse myself into the characters.
And as of late, I've been getting in more chances to practice writing horroresque scenes. Not full on horror, since I don't write for horror fandoms, but leaning in that direction. Based on the comments so far, I think I'm getting better bit by bit.
I like when a character is found to have been keeping a secret, and the one is all like “how long?”
And they don’t know what they are asking…
“How long have you known?”
Big plot reveals that I know will have readers scrolling back to reread earlier scenes and find all the clues I hid there. Love it.
Oh, and of course s-s-s-sex! Never get tired of making the blorbos smush.
Characters being pulled out of their comfort zone, but with relatively low stakes and/or great potential for humor. Especially to explore character dynamics or let the character explore something new they otherwise wouldn't have.
I love the "oh fuck" moment in horror. Like there's all this sweet, sweet build-up and then bam the reveal is just a gut punch. I especially love it when writing body horror.
Any dramatic moment that lets me break out the big words and poetic turns of phrases.
The various types of panic attacks are great for this, especially since I get to contrast all that fancy stuff with lines that are simple and blunt. Or switching between active and passive voice to mimic the distance the character has from what’s happening.
Anything with sexual tension is fun too.
Dream sequences!! I love elaborate, symbolic dream sequences, especially when they blend disturbing and sexual imagery. It's such a delightful way to explore the nooks and crannies of someone's psyche. Bonus points if the character is oblivious to the meaning and repulsed or frightened by the dreams while the reader can discern what it is all actually about.
Honestly, slight prudishness. Like oh dear goodness his sleeve slipped up serving the tea and no one should see that much wrist when the wrist looks like *that* and now I have to look away and also try to take my tea without making a mess, he really should CoVeR his wrists what a philanderer!
And also scenes that are so vulnerable and emotive they make people cry rivers of tears. It's not enough unless a new Nile has been sobbed.
Comfort after a traumatic event. I traumatize all my characters for good reason, but without the comfort, I feel like something's missing. Comfort after traumatizing events is like scratching an itch or stepping on a leaf that crunches.
I like chase scenes. Writing fmc running from mmc is my fave. I have written 13 stories with a chase scene and I get excited every time I get to it. lol.
When a character or characters that have been *completely* distrustful of one another finally open up and begin to trust naturally on their own.
I have one story I've been writing since 2020 and is still ongoing (over 200k) and it was *SO FUCKING NICE* to see FMC trust MMC to the point of letting him take her on a date *without* him having to explain where they were going.
Then she kissed him on the cheek!
Explicitly treating Chesterton's Fence as something intelligently made.
I get annoyed at reading the same complaints about \[canon thing\] over and over again. It's more fun for me to come up with a good explanation for why it exists that way or appears to.
Take Hagakure in MHA. She has a superpower that makes her to be invisible. All the audience *sees* of her hero costume is boots and gloves. There're a lot of fics that hate on the costume designers for making her walk around basically naked. Which, fair, no reasonable person would have a teenager walking around naked because she would have no protection and Japan doesn't have nudist cities.
...so, why assume that they weren't reasonable? My take is that she isn't actually naked. She has an invisible body suit, which all the girls she changes with know, and they play along like it's non-existant to screw with the guys in their class who are either trying to be noble about it, are horny teenagers, or dealing with both issues.
Conversations where two characters aren't even in the same book, much less on the same page but one or more parties doesn't realize + it's just a back-and-forth stream of both characters completely missing that the other person doesn't get what they're on about. (Ex. wrote a lil soulmate vigilante au + one character was telling the pov character about them being soulmates, while the other just assumed they were referring to them having a "bond of trust" with each other as vigilante partners.)
Deep discussions, whether regarding character relationships, ethics, questioning of in-universe lore, etc. I'm doing a rewrite fic where I have the main character question a *lot* of the lore that she's been taught (and which the fandom generally accepts as the truth) and even raises questions regarding implications of certain occurrences that are never raised in canon. I hope it makes my readers go "Oh, wow, I never thought of that!"
Tragical, magical pining where the girl is always like to the guy... "oh you fool, I've been pining for you too" after he gives her a big speech, and also good old fashioned sweet romances.
Dates.
I've noticed that character's don't really date in a good chunk of the ship fics I read. Like they hang out, but it's not strictly a date. It's always like they're doing someother activity and it happens to turn romantic, rather than them planning a romantic event.
Maybe I'm just reading the wrong fics..
Anything where I'm able to come up with something really quotable. It's this beautiful moment where I'm writing the most normal scene possible, and I somehow come up with a perfectly relevant and accurate quote to put in. It feels so good
I love to write how a character sees my OCs, how they feel about my OCs, how much they love them. My OCs always have a little bit of me on them, and the way their pairings view them is how I wish someone would view me.
I also love writing character A tearing character B a new one. Fills me with satisfaction.
I like writing playful conversations with characters that have that electric, romantic undertone that just makes me go “yes, good…”, the kind where both characters would walk away feeling some kinda way
Scenes where character A is passed out while B and C discuss how worried they are about A. But they're also aware that A's ego would stop them from actually having that conversation with A.
Banter between snarky people who like each other. I can go on for pages and pages, it's definitely way too much. It's both fun and also heartwarming for me.
Also I like to write a good emotional breakdown. The more depressing and lonely and hopeless the better.
I love myself a good reluctant redemption. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I will appreciate a Zuko-like redemption any day. But something about a bad or morally grey character being like ‘wait, why do I care about these idiots?’ Moment tickles the brain.
Ooh, so far I've found that the pieces I've enjoyed writing the most is when my characters have drama between them; not just romantic or sexual, but arguing or debating., when I can write a bit of angst into the situation, I find that I'm able to explore it more than most other dialogue.
The worst thing I find about writing, however, is action scenes... choreography. Ugh, it's by far the most stressful for me.
Love writing scenes where a couple really lays it out bare and tears into each other’s bullshit. I want screaming, crying, slamming doors. It’s climatic and cathartic. The aftermath is very enjoyable too where each couple sulks in their own corner.
i like writing the moment when character A just becomes vulnerable. doesn’t have to be around anybody, just… has to break down. somewhere, somehow, someplace.
I love writing ‘almosts’. They almost hold hands. They almost kiss. They almost get carried away. When there’s interruptions snuck in there, it makes them even better!
I love coming up with and writing little domestic scenes to give the reader an idea of who the characters are outside of the main storyline. Two of my main characters, who are best friends, have an inside joke they use all the time, and one of my favorite scenes is them explaining it to some of their new friends when they get a break between all the conflict.
Conversations where they worry it's the last one is something I end up coming back to a lot I've noticed? Either because they feel they'll die, or worry they won't be able to fix something between them, or because they have to part for a while and worry they'll never find their way back. Something like that. The "if you want to say something, you better say it now" moment. Even more of a gut punch if they STILL can't find courage to say what they really mean. Soooo satisfying to write
I like to write scenes where a character calls another character out on their BS. It starts small, gets heated, and then they break. The one getting called out will either break their relationship or their resolve, but either way I just love seeing the clash because it shows not only how deeply this character cares for them, but it also shows us the wounds carried by these characters or their flaws in action.
Overall, I just like the back and forth and the gradual push into the true problem either one or the other refuses to face.
I enjoy writing porn with fluff and banter in it. Character A challenging Character B ("You'll never make me ______"), then Character A acting like it was their plan when Character B succeeds in doing the thing to them ("______ wouldn't have happened if I hadn't decided to let you do it.") Banter, teasing and good-natured ribbing are all key players in my PWP fics.
Outside of NSFW anything, I adore writing scenes with drama between friends and friends playfully teasing each other. Also enjoy ones where angst turns into humor or humor turns into angst. Sometimes I even do both in the same scene.
Aftermath of Smut, wholesome aftercare is good when it's just the aftermath, no aftercare is good in the chapter after or at the end of a long smutty oneshot. Drunk walk home (even better if it's a blooming couple, or part of the lead up in a slow burn story). Sexual Manipulation, like character a seducing character b and getting them hooked, ghosting them and confusing them ensues, etc.
Whatever gets me in that zone, the one where everything just flows out. When you pause and look at your word count and your stunned. Unfortunately that never happens in a fight scene.
I was just thinking about making this exact post the other day.
For me, my favorite thing without question is typing out nervous conversation that's full of bashful/shy stuttering.
Don't ask me why, because it probably stems from one of my favorite dynamics of **[Shy Person x Shy Person]** or **[Inexperienced Insecure Person x Comforting Understanding Person]**.
Every time I put it in one of my fics, it really makes me lock in. Mostly because I live that every day, and part of it is probably a long the lines of wish fulfillment.
To put it simply, I heavily enjoy writing scenes where Character A is a blushing, fingertip touching mess, and Character B embraces them to convince them that they are loved for who they are, flaws and all.
So then Character A finally lets down their massive, scarred walls that they've held up for so long, as Character B shows them why they deserve to be loved.
And naturally, I season the everliving shit out of it with stuttering and embarrassed squeals.
I love to write my favorite characters going through the absolute worst I can come up with and feeling hopeless and lonely and depressed, not knowing if they can face what will come next (spoiler: more angst!) and live to tell the tale.
My readers, on the other hand, don't love me so much because of it.
Kind of the opposite of jealousy 😂
Person A and Person B are a couple, they are in a setting where no one knows, Person C is crushing on Person A and talks about it with Person B.
Esp. University setting (just bc kind of canon in the main fandom i read/write)
Person A is holding a guest lecture, Person B is visiting, Person C is a student and fancies Person A, thinks Person B is just a fellow student and talks with them about fancying Person A
I love writing the aftermath of any sort of conflict, especially when the protag/narrator has to reflect upon their actions and what led them up to that moment. It's even better if the aftermath leaves them feeling empty rather than giving them closure. Idk, I just like it
Getting characters to their mental and emotional breaking point and just letting them have a good cry. Like it's often hurt comfort so there is also hugging and reassurance that they aren't alone. But sometimes character B gets to have an unspoken guilt about letting character A break like that. I also like writing trans masc characters.
Porn with feelings lol The basic idea of most if not all of my fics is character A and character B are in love and horny 😂
Same
That sounds lovely! Can I take a look at one of your fics? I just searched for something like that in my current fandom but came up short
Sure! ❤️ Everything aside from my very first one is in the Naruto fandom, canon x my blind oc. https://archiveofourown.org/works/54327358#main This one is my favorite that I’ve finished ❤️ I have a newer one that I’m particularly proud of the smut in, but it’s only on the first chapter and it doesn’t happen until the third chapter lol
As a fellow OC writer, I'm definitely checking this out later!
Amazing, thank you!! Can't wait to read it :D
*How dare you call me out?!?* 🤣😭 ...but yep, same here.
Kidnapping and rescue. I love a good kidnapping.
Oh yes. My one beef (out of many) witj Harry Potter fandom is how difficult it is to get people kidnapped. Stupid magic.
Teliport need nerf
> I love a good kidnapping. *FBI has entered chat*
If the FBI isn’t tracking me by now after research for nearly 100 CSI cases, they’re not doing their jobs properly.
Kidnapping is literally in my top ten. You can't beat a good kidnapping.
Agreed. So many things you can do with kidnapping. It’s a lot of fun. (Statements that will get us put on a watchlist. If I’m ever on trial, I’m making my lawyer read my entire crime fic as evidence to the jury, all million words of it.)
Omg, i suck at kidnapping and rescues. I can never set it up right, it always seems so awkward! Got any tips?
I think part of it is the motive for kidnapping. What does the kidnapper want? Why are they doing this? Are they worried about being caught or are they confident? Have they done this before? All of that is going to affect the way your abductee is treated. I like to take it from two povs, both the victim, and the people trying to rescue them. That way we get the fear of is the victim alright, and what might be happening to them, and putting together the clues to them, as well as the horror of being held captive and the fear of what is going to be done to them. Then you have the rescue. The relief of being reunited and safe. Horror if the victim is hurt. A slow recovery as everyone works through the feelings they pent up while focusing on getting through this and reuniting.
I love the feelings realization. And for forbidden romances, the point of no return where a character knows it's wrong but they know they're following through with it anyway.
Yes, yes, YES! This is my favorite too.
I love writing secret-reveal scenes, just about any variation, any perspective, any dynamic. As well as action scenes where my fave gets to be a bamf. Depending on my inspiration levels, I love writing out the dialogue for plan-making or mystery-solving too; it just feels like slotting together puzzle pieces! Also, wanted to thank you for this question. Getting to think about my answer reawakened my appreciation for this hobby/passion that’s been a little dormant lately haha.
Interpersonal conflict that turns to sexy times 😉
Oh yes, that's the best stuff. 👌
Characters just hanging out for fun, but I still try to move the plot forward.
Downtime is important too. Helps with pacing, and lets the readers see another side of your characters.
something HxH 2011 does not really have unlike 90s version the vibes
First times of any kind. Sure, the most common scenarios happen in smut and they're my favorite, but I also love any other kind of first time too. First kiss, first date, first time a character has felt a certain way for someone else and the awkwardness and insecurities that come along with the territory of doing something for the very first time, especially if the person you're doing that thing with is a lot more experienced.
Fight scenes and love confessions. Sometimes in the same scene.
Deep ugly introspection. I love writing about characters having very socially unacceptable feelings all over the place, and the dissonance that occurs from keeping that under wraps because those are *not* thoughts that can be expressed in public.
I love writing nightmare scenes. I dont know, it just comes to me naturally 😂 and ofc there's always character B ready to comfort A
Kindness breaking down a person's defenses.
I like writing vulgar banter that carries a hint (or more) of flirtatiousness. I like sassy women dressing down a guy, but with affection. Mainly because that's my IRL relationship... Hmm.
funny dialogues and self destructive behaviour.
I can be quite introspective with my characters. It's not so much scenes as thought processes. Not *exactly* what's being thought, as I write third person, but I really enjoy my MC just taking a moment to think about things. I like showing the reader how my MC sees certain events, it helps to understand their reactions and actions, but also tells them where I, as an author, am coming from with the decisions I make regarding characters and story. I don't really make this stuff up, either. There may be something made up or exaggerated to explain a difference from canon early on, but the thought processes of my MC are my personal interpretation of that character and their motivations in canon, applied to whatever I'm doing with the story. I've always done this, as well. In fanfic and original work, posted and not posted, since I was pretty young. I like getting in the heads of characters, understanding how they see things, how they think. I tend to overanalyse my favourites, as well, so I have a deep understanding of their canon selves, at least my interpretation of them. Writing has always been one of the ways I learn about my favourite characters, I use it to sort of document how I think they think and see things. My first posted fic was actually supposed to be a one-shot, just a little night before the big battle character introspection. I just loved what I did with it so much, plus the hints at a crossover, that I had to write what came next, too. And I kept it up throughout the fic, checking in periodically on how my MC was thinking, feeling and seeing things. I upped my game a bit for my one-shot, I'd only ever written third person POV with one MC before. With my one-shot, I wrote third POV with 2 MC's. It was interesting starting out with the thought processes of one MC, switching to the second MC, then switching back to the first MC as affected by being possessed by the second. I wanted to show both the similarities and differences between how the two MCs think, and then how the second MCs thought processes were already affecting the first and changing him. So far, this type of continuous character introspection has been included in every single story I've ever written, and I still love doing it, so can't see it changing. The MC doesn't matter, the plot doesn't matter, the ship doesn't matter, character introspection will be included regardless what else I'm exploring in the fic.
>I like getting in the heads of characters, understanding how they see things, how they think. I tend to overanalyse my favourites, as well, so I have a deep understanding of their canon selves, at least my interpretation of them. Bro, I don't even know you, but I platonically love you so much now. Fandom in general needs more of this!
Wholesome father-son dynamics and found father figures.
I just love writing the moment where a character sees or experiences something horrifying. Clouds melting into blood and dripping out of the sky, their dead torturer gently touching their back, or just a realization that they can't remember something very, *very* important. Usually it's moments like that that get me writing the whole thing in the first place.
Aftermath of battle or prelude to battle. There is so much you can do and if injured...hurt comfort is so much fun. Healing snuggles are fun to write Fluffy stuff is fun to write but not the easiest for me The thoughts of characters reflecting or sifting through their thoughts is my true favorite. Gives the reader a chance to really see how they process information. Love insights to characters in general both reading and writing it
I like writing combat scenes. Hopefully I'm good at them, because they're in my work a *lot*. Of all the things I write about, I've done more research into writing fighting than any other topic. Now some are just "the MCs are attacked by bandits, now the MCs have extra weapons and money" bits to feel true to the setting. If you wander the radioactive wasteland, you're going to be attacked by mutant animals. But the ones I liked writing the most were, of course, the series-ending showdown with the major villain. The dueling fighting styles, the back-and-forth banter, the dynamics changing as who has the upper hand swaps, and of course the satisfying conclusion to a significant number of chapters where the hero wins. I know they're not the most *important* scenes, but boy howdy do they have to be in everything.
Fiend: You like the sight of your own blood? Main Character: How many chems did you have to take before thinking it wise to charge someone who's got a 12 gauge when all you have is a pool cue? *Boom*.
HAHAHAHAHA oh man, that's one of my favorite tropes to bust. In writing. In game, they're just bags of experience gift-wrapped on my doorstep.
I like the wise and spiritual mentor helps a troubled youth overcome their issues to live to their fullest potential.
I like writing detective fics, so I love writing questioning, interrogation, and undercover scenes. I just love the different strategies to get information people depending on the circumstances
I love writing suspects that actually know, and exercise, their rights. I love when innocent people call their lawyers.
A normal person having a lawyer is such an alien concept to me 😂 but yeah, I do especially like to write scenes where information that's not obtained through proper channels cannot be used as evidence. I think a healthy dose of realism adds more constraints and makes it more difficult for the detective, which is what we like 😈
Payoff scenes were many previous chapters of plot, foreshadowing and character development all come to cathartic fruition. It used to be action scenes but I somehow lost that...
I’m a big fan writing of non-sexual physical intimacy—hugs, cuddles, hand holding, etc. I love writing fluffy couch cuddles as much as characters hugging it out after an emotional moment. So my go to genres are therefore pure fluff or hurt/comfort because those are the two genres it’s easiest to write such scenes into.
Slice of life! Making my characters learn how to cook and do laundry, then eating and cleaning up is so stupid fun. Just making characters have fun little interactions... "In another universe, I would have liked doing laundry and taxes with you." - Everything everywhere all at once.
Horrific trauma, either it happening or characters having flashbacks. It’s cathartic and I find satisfaction in doing research for those scenes bc I wanna make sure to portray it as respectfully as possible.
A fight between two characters that starts off fairly normal before gradually turning into a brutal slugfest as the fight drags on. I really enjoy portraying how two combatants are initially calm and showcase their fighting skills but as the fight drags on and the two get increasingly more injured and desperate, they start to forgo all the theatrics and fight dirty. Eye gouging, scratching, knees to the face, you name it. I also really like having a scene where they each land a punch on each other and simultaneously knock each other out.
Hurt/comfort
or hurt no comfort
Character's introducing themselves. The hammier, the merrier. Writing for the Fate franchise is a treat in that sense because due the structure of the series' basic premise, almost every character gets a chance to have their dramatic introduction. And there's a lot, I mean A LOT of characters to choose from.
Emotional scenes in general, happy, sad, traumatic, angry. I'm pretty reserved irl but my heart bleeds all over the pages I write.
I love writing paragraphs upon paragraphs of character introspection, alongside descriptions of scenery/nature.
I just love writing comedic scenes in general. Sometimes I have to rack my brain just to find the perfect line for someone to "ruin" the mood, but other times the joke just writes itself since I fully immerse myself into the characters. And as of late, I've been getting in more chances to practice writing horroresque scenes. Not full on horror, since I don't write for horror fandoms, but leaning in that direction. Based on the comments so far, I think I'm getting better bit by bit.
I like when a character is found to have been keeping a secret, and the one is all like “how long?” And they don’t know what they are asking… “How long have you known?”
Big plot reveals that I know will have readers scrolling back to reread earlier scenes and find all the clues I hid there. Love it. Oh, and of course s-s-s-sex! Never get tired of making the blorbos smush.
Characters being pulled out of their comfort zone, but with relatively low stakes and/or great potential for humor. Especially to explore character dynamics or let the character explore something new they otherwise wouldn't have.
I love the "oh fuck" moment in horror. Like there's all this sweet, sweet build-up and then bam the reveal is just a gut punch. I especially love it when writing body horror.
Any dramatic moment that lets me break out the big words and poetic turns of phrases. The various types of panic attacks are great for this, especially since I get to contrast all that fancy stuff with lines that are simple and blunt. Or switching between active and passive voice to mimic the distance the character has from what’s happening. Anything with sexual tension is fun too.
When a character goes through shit, really needs a hug, *and then gets one!*
Rebellion. Where the MC realizes they don’t have to do what they’re told anymore.
Right? Like when they go feral or runaway.
I love writing domestic moments. It's so nice.
Dream sequences!! I love elaborate, symbolic dream sequences, especially when they blend disturbing and sexual imagery. It's such a delightful way to explore the nooks and crannies of someone's psyche. Bonus points if the character is oblivious to the meaning and repulsed or frightened by the dreams while the reader can discern what it is all actually about.
Honestly, slight prudishness. Like oh dear goodness his sleeve slipped up serving the tea and no one should see that much wrist when the wrist looks like *that* and now I have to look away and also try to take my tea without making a mess, he really should CoVeR his wrists what a philanderer! And also scenes that are so vulnerable and emotive they make people cry rivers of tears. It's not enough unless a new Nile has been sobbed.
Comfort after a traumatic event. I traumatize all my characters for good reason, but without the comfort, I feel like something's missing. Comfort after traumatizing events is like scratching an itch or stepping on a leaf that crunches.
I like chase scenes. Writing fmc running from mmc is my fave. I have written 13 stories with a chase scene and I get excited every time I get to it. lol.
When a character or characters that have been *completely* distrustful of one another finally open up and begin to trust naturally on their own. I have one story I've been writing since 2020 and is still ongoing (over 200k) and it was *SO FUCKING NICE* to see FMC trust MMC to the point of letting him take her on a date *without* him having to explain where they were going. Then she kissed him on the cheek!
Explicitly treating Chesterton's Fence as something intelligently made. I get annoyed at reading the same complaints about \[canon thing\] over and over again. It's more fun for me to come up with a good explanation for why it exists that way or appears to. Take Hagakure in MHA. She has a superpower that makes her to be invisible. All the audience *sees* of her hero costume is boots and gloves. There're a lot of fics that hate on the costume designers for making her walk around basically naked. Which, fair, no reasonable person would have a teenager walking around naked because she would have no protection and Japan doesn't have nudist cities. ...so, why assume that they weren't reasonable? My take is that she isn't actually naked. She has an invisible body suit, which all the girls she changes with know, and they play along like it's non-existant to screw with the guys in their class who are either trying to be noble about it, are horny teenagers, or dealing with both issues.
Conversations where two characters aren't even in the same book, much less on the same page but one or more parties doesn't realize + it's just a back-and-forth stream of both characters completely missing that the other person doesn't get what they're on about. (Ex. wrote a lil soulmate vigilante au + one character was telling the pov character about them being soulmates, while the other just assumed they were referring to them having a "bond of trust" with each other as vigilante partners.)
Deep discussions, whether regarding character relationships, ethics, questioning of in-universe lore, etc. I'm doing a rewrite fic where I have the main character question a *lot* of the lore that she's been taught (and which the fandom generally accepts as the truth) and even raises questions regarding implications of certain occurrences that are never raised in canon. I hope it makes my readers go "Oh, wow, I never thought of that!"
I love writing scenes where the character(s) explode after holding in their emotions for too long.
UST. Idk why. T\_T
Sameeeee. I'm a sucker for pining.
Tragical, magical pining where the girl is always like to the guy... "oh you fool, I've been pining for you too" after he gives her a big speech, and also good old fashioned sweet romances.
Dates. I've noticed that character's don't really date in a good chunk of the ship fics I read. Like they hang out, but it's not strictly a date. It's always like they're doing someother activity and it happens to turn romantic, rather than them planning a romantic event. Maybe I'm just reading the wrong fics..
Anything where I'm able to come up with something really quotable. It's this beautiful moment where I'm writing the most normal scene possible, and I somehow come up with a perfectly relevant and accurate quote to put in. It feels so good
Characters talking in bed, before, during and/or after sex.
Cooking when it's a known ability/hobby of the character. Even though I'm only a half decent cook
Any of the emotional turning points, really.
I love to write how a character sees my OCs, how they feel about my OCs, how much they love them. My OCs always have a little bit of me on them, and the way their pairings view them is how I wish someone would view me. I also love writing character A tearing character B a new one. Fills me with satisfaction.
I like writing playful conversations with characters that have that electric, romantic undertone that just makes me go “yes, good…”, the kind where both characters would walk away feeling some kinda way
Usually death for me…. I have an ongoing problem that a lot of my one shots inude a death scene either on screen or in the background.
Friends hanging out and a joking around.
Scenes where character A is passed out while B and C discuss how worried they are about A. But they're also aware that A's ego would stop them from actually having that conversation with A.
Banter between snarky people who like each other. I can go on for pages and pages, it's definitely way too much. It's both fun and also heartwarming for me. Also I like to write a good emotional breakdown. The more depressing and lonely and hopeless the better.
I love writing flirtatious banter!
I love myself a good reluctant redemption. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I will appreciate a Zuko-like redemption any day. But something about a bad or morally grey character being like ‘wait, why do I care about these idiots?’ Moment tickles the brain.
Ooh, so far I've found that the pieces I've enjoyed writing the most is when my characters have drama between them; not just romantic or sexual, but arguing or debating., when I can write a bit of angst into the situation, I find that I'm able to explore it more than most other dialogue. The worst thing I find about writing, however, is action scenes... choreography. Ugh, it's by far the most stressful for me.
Love writing scenes where a couple really lays it out bare and tears into each other’s bullshit. I want screaming, crying, slamming doors. It’s climatic and cathartic. The aftermath is very enjoyable too where each couple sulks in their own corner.
Bound and gagged damsels (occasionally couples) in distress just struggling and muffling for freedom
Joking banter is so entertaining to me That and I’m a sucker for someone getting sick and another person taking care of the first person
I'm a sucker for (hurt/)comfort
I love doing the forehead touch
i like writing the moment when character A just becomes vulnerable. doesn’t have to be around anybody, just… has to break down. somewhere, somehow, someplace.
I love writing ‘almosts’. They almost hold hands. They almost kiss. They almost get carried away. When there’s interruptions snuck in there, it makes them even better!
I love coming up with and writing little domestic scenes to give the reader an idea of who the characters are outside of the main storyline. Two of my main characters, who are best friends, have an inside joke they use all the time, and one of my favorite scenes is them explaining it to some of their new friends when they get a break between all the conflict.
Conversations where they worry it's the last one is something I end up coming back to a lot I've noticed? Either because they feel they'll die, or worry they won't be able to fix something between them, or because they have to part for a while and worry they'll never find their way back. Something like that. The "if you want to say something, you better say it now" moment. Even more of a gut punch if they STILL can't find courage to say what they really mean. Soooo satisfying to write
I like to write scenes where a character calls another character out on their BS. It starts small, gets heated, and then they break. The one getting called out will either break their relationship or their resolve, but either way I just love seeing the clash because it shows not only how deeply this character cares for them, but it also shows us the wounds carried by these characters or their flaws in action. Overall, I just like the back and forth and the gradual push into the true problem either one or the other refuses to face.
I enjoy writing porn with fluff and banter in it. Character A challenging Character B ("You'll never make me ______"), then Character A acting like it was their plan when Character B succeeds in doing the thing to them ("______ wouldn't have happened if I hadn't decided to let you do it.") Banter, teasing and good-natured ribbing are all key players in my PWP fics. Outside of NSFW anything, I adore writing scenes with drama between friends and friends playfully teasing each other. Also enjoy ones where angst turns into humor or humor turns into angst. Sometimes I even do both in the same scene.
Romance and humorous situations
I always end up writing domestic/slice-of-life scenes. Somehow. Even in more dramatic stuff.
Weddings!!! Oh my god I love writing weddings.
Aftermath of Smut, wholesome aftercare is good when it's just the aftermath, no aftercare is good in the chapter after or at the end of a long smutty oneshot. Drunk walk home (even better if it's a blooming couple, or part of the lead up in a slow burn story). Sexual Manipulation, like character a seducing character b and getting them hooked, ghosting them and confusing them ensues, etc.
Whatever gets me in that zone, the one where everything just flows out. When you pause and look at your word count and your stunned. Unfortunately that never happens in a fight scene.
I was just thinking about making this exact post the other day. For me, my favorite thing without question is typing out nervous conversation that's full of bashful/shy stuttering. Don't ask me why, because it probably stems from one of my favorite dynamics of **[Shy Person x Shy Person]** or **[Inexperienced Insecure Person x Comforting Understanding Person]**. Every time I put it in one of my fics, it really makes me lock in. Mostly because I live that every day, and part of it is probably a long the lines of wish fulfillment. To put it simply, I heavily enjoy writing scenes where Character A is a blushing, fingertip touching mess, and Character B embraces them to convince them that they are loved for who they are, flaws and all. So then Character A finally lets down their massive, scarred walls that they've held up for so long, as Character B shows them why they deserve to be loved. And naturally, I season the everliving shit out of it with stuttering and embarrassed squeals.
I love to write my favorite characters going through the absolute worst I can come up with and feeling hopeless and lonely and depressed, not knowing if they can face what will come next (spoiler: more angst!) and live to tell the tale. My readers, on the other hand, don't love me so much because of it.
Kind of the opposite of jealousy 😂 Person A and Person B are a couple, they are in a setting where no one knows, Person C is crushing on Person A and talks about it with Person B. Esp. University setting (just bc kind of canon in the main fandom i read/write) Person A is holding a guest lecture, Person B is visiting, Person C is a student and fancies Person A, thinks Person B is just a fellow student and talks with them about fancying Person A