Okay, so

I can't really give you advice on this, but I'm gonna anyways 😎

I'm shit at writing up requests, as you may know lmao, but I try to get through as many as I can

If you've gotten to the point where people like your writing so much that they want their own story, and you feel ready to take requests, then make sure to mention it somewhere

In the description of the book, or even the title of it are probably the best places to put it, but you could put it in your profile, as an announcement, as a new part in the book, or as an A/N (Author's Note) at the beginning or end of a story

If you do receive a request, then congratulations, but please don't be afraid to turn requests down

If you don't feel comfortable with a certain request because of the topic, or you just don't like it, turn it down, but don't be an ass about it, be polite and explain in as much detail as you like about why you're turning a request down, that way, you won't lose respect from the reader

If you do end up turning down a request but you know another author buddy that might like to have a go, ask them if they want it- there's a 50/50 chance of them accepting or declining, just like you had

Don't pressure them into doing it though, just suggest it, and if they say no, don't force or bully them into it, just accept it and move on

If they decide to accept it, make sure to tell the original person who requested it that another author is doing it - this helps fellow authors to grow and become popular too

If you decide to accept the original request, try and change it as little as possible, and if you do, apologize and explain why you've changed it and what changes you've made

If you're gonna change it, be careful of how your reader is gonna react, no matter how big or small the change

Most readers are civilized people that accept that not everything they've requested is suitable for the story or something like that

Some readers though act like gormless gibbons that can't understand that the author is a human being that cannot do everything that is asked of them because they're not fucking Megamind

If you do unfortunately come across a wild gibbon, just give em a pat on the "block" button, a tickle of the old "delete comment" button, and have yourself a nice cup of tea, you've earned it

As long as you're happy with it, and they're being as intelligent as a squirrel on acid, you have nothing to apologize for

However, if the reader is a polite human being, which we stan, and they ask you to rewrite either a section or the whole thing, then politely oblige or decline

I know it's tiring to rewrite the same thing all the way over again, but if it makes your reader(s), happy, then it's a result

At the end of the day, it is their request, but it is your book

If you just don't feel ready to take requests, then mention it somewhere, because people are gonna ask "Do you take requests?"

So, to save time for both of you, make sure to mention it

If you're taking a break from requests, also make sure to mention it somewhere

Don't be a melon about it either, just say something like "Requests closed" or "Requests on hold" or something like that

Also, make sure to let your readers know where they can request

If they want it to be private and anonymous, then messages are the best way to go, but if they don't mind, then either in comments on the book it's for, or even on your announcement board on your profile

There's also just one other thing I have to mention

If the person with the request wants to remain anonymous, keep them anonymous, okay? Okay