It's important that you are always thinking about your story. What you've already written and what has yet to be written. Understand that you cannot take back a word that has been published for the public. That's why for proper character and story development, everything has to be thought out before you start writing. If there is a moment that is supposed to have a big payout, whether that be a big reveal for 'awe' factor or something that panders to the emotions instead, it must be set up early on. For this reason, I recommend creating notes for you to reference as you write.

Remember that your story isn't static, it is an ever changing and evolving creation. Characters change, the story is driven forwards, what reader's expected to happen may be the exact opposite of what actually happens. Again though, there has to be a logical progression that leads up to the final outcome. Remember that the outcome isn't the payoff. The payoff is all the hard work it took to reach that outcome. For an example, let's look at death.

Death in and of itself, is not an impactful narrative device. People die all the time, whether that be real life or fictional stories. Death is only impactful because of the relationship people have to the deceased. How many of you were sad when Dimo Reeves died? Likely none of you, because Dimo was not a character we, as an audience, had grown attached to. But when the infamous S4E8 aired, well, I can say nothing more than, it hurt. And it only hurts because we have fallen in love with the characters. The relationship those characters had with the only people in the story. We feel the pain because, not only did we love them, but we can feel how the other characters loved them.

I see this idea often attempted in other fanfictions but executed very poorly. Understand that, just how calling your character a badass does not make them a badass, calling someone your brother does not make them your brother. You have to demonstrate that bond, illustrate it through your writing, and do it effectively so the audience really feels that connection, otherwise the impact you were hoping for becomes lost.

A great example of this device done properly can be seen in the beloved Infamous game franchise. For those of you that haven't played it, what are you doing, like, seriously? For those of you that have, recall when Zeke says to Cole, "I don't call you 'brother' because I like the way it sounds." It is such an impactful moment that truly illustrates the bond the two have, BUT, it is backed up by effective story telling and character development, so that the audience really believes it, and more importantly, feels it. And that relationship is what makes the evil karmatic ending so heartbreaking.

These notes you create will help remind you to stay on course. A gentle tap on the shoulder to say, 'hey, don't forget to establish this relationship early on so it pays out big later.' It may seem like a small thing, but trust me when I tell you it pays off exponentially later on.

All this being said, there may also come a time when you are suddenly struck with a bolt of inspiration. Maybe it's an important scene that will help develop your characters or story, maybe it's a moral or idea that is important to your character's, well, character. It could even be something as simple as a cool one liner you want to toss in. Even if you think it is too late to add it, still jot it down for future reference, it may not be too late to use it, and even if it is, it could be used for a future story.

I myself was recently struck with inspiration for my My Hero Academia story. It came to me while watching March Comes in Like a Lion. The story does a great job portraying the feeling of isolation and depression, which MHA-C deals with. I was in a bit of a slump, hitting a wall with that story, until watching the show, and it has reignited the passion and inspiration I needed to continue. Again though, I cannot change my character because of this newfound inspiration, but fortunately I didn't have to. Because my character is dealing with these issues, something I established at the beginning of my story, I can rework some of the details to effect how I portray it. These small tweaks to my writing helped me past a particularly difficult scene and have allowed me to continue writing the story.  So remember that you should always be open to receiving inspiration, no matter what the source.

In terms of my Attack on Titan story, I have been aware of an issue that I knew needed to be addressed for some time, but haven't quite figured out how to, until today, which then caused me to write this chapter. Come S2E6, when Reiner and Bertholdt are revealed to be the Armored and Colossal, the betrayal felt by the characters can really be felt by the audience as well. And that is due to the simple fact that these characters were established to be close friends. In so many fanfictions of AOT I have read, this betrayal with the OC is so underwhelming. I think the reason for that is because in these stories, the author has only really focused on developing the relationship between the OC and romantic interest, pretty much ignoring all other relationships. It is a mistake I have made in the past, and one I now strive to correct. So, how can I create this sense of betrayal? Simple, develop a relationship between AOT-C and Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie. How? By writing. That's really the answer to every issue you will solve. How do I fix my writing? By writing. Practice your craft. Strive to improve. Identify your weaknesses and learn how to strengthen them.

So, here I leave a note to myself: Develop AOT-C's relationship with Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie. AOT-C does not feel as impacted by the events of Trost as the other soldiers, or at least does not demonstrate it outwardly. After Trost, he talks about being hungry, and seems rather apathetic to Marco's, and other cadets' deaths. He's hungry, but his friends are in shock. But maybe the Warriors aren't, at least, not as much. So the four of them grab dinner, and here we establish more of their dynamic.

Remember that this is just a baseline, and more work must be done to illustrate their relationship throughout the story.