Emily Shephard wrote: 6 Dec 2025, 20:59 I already struggle keeping tabs on two accounts...

I'd be hopeless with a staff one

This is real but like... there's a reason I'm primarily on Elmo 💀

I like elmo and I communicate more with him, no, he's not my pc but I consider him to be one even if he isn't defined as it as per the site.

By having Elmo, which was an adult that did not naturally graduate or progress like everyone else, just by being made for an adult staff role, I cannot have an inpc for him, like adult pcs that have done the hio progression, and of the normal pcs here.

Hello all!

Heyo!

Hey Adorable and Jose! How’re you all going?

Amelia Lerelle wrote: 7 Dec 2025, 02:38 Hey Adorable and Jose! How’re you all going?

I'm doing well. I've finally finished (sort of) cleaning my room, other than the pile of clothes that are getting donated.

Amelia Lerelle wrote: 7 Dec 2025, 02:38 Hey Adorable and Jose! How’re you all going?

Good!! Was playing "chess" with a three year old you?

Zephyr Deakin wrote: 7 Dec 2025, 00:21I have to say lovely suggestions (and encouragement too!)

Amelia Lerelle wrote: 7 Dec 2025, 00:51 hi all and that is some good advice there… let me know if you need a hand with anything

Sunny Smitherson-Smith wrote: 7 Dec 2025, 01:27 Loved those thoughts about finding what makes H.io fun and work for you, completely agree

Thank you all for your appreciation and positive thoughts on this!! ;33

Helen Aletheia Doukas wrote: 6 Dec 2025, 23:40

Thomas Baines wrote: 6 Dec 2025, 20:55 I don't return to HIO as often as I probably should, but it's been amazing to watch this site grow and improve throughout the years. Every time I log on, it's like a totally new experience!

I want to get back into writing here, but I'm honestly not super sure how yet. If any of y'all have any tips let me know

Hi Thomas! I'm so sorry for the lateness of this reply. Here are a few tips, which personally help(ed) me a lot:

Start slow. It'll just burn you out or push you farther away from h.io to immediately start doing a lot of threads at once. One or two threads to get back into the rhythm of writing would be ideal, at first, and then as writing more often becomes a habit, don't be afraid to take on a few more; as many as you're comfortable with and can handle. Furthermore, don't worry about taking time to reply. As they say, slow and steady wins the race!

Find your muse. It's not easy to immediately jump back into something you haven't done in a long time. Especially when it comes to writing, finding your muse and inspiration is a key pointer. Creating a character pinterest board is always fun, and having a few banners that you like to use as headers in your posts is a good way to give you more motivation to write!

Develop your character. Writing in itself is fun in general, but having an idea of an actual storyline that your character undergoes — a plot to follow — can be much more fun. Having character development helps a lot- how does Thomas change over time, how do his interactions (threads) etc (solos) influence his character arc? *Identify your characters' wants. What do they want truly? Next, identify their needs. What do they need to do to get there? Is it physical growth or mental growth? Maybe it's a need they don't realize yet!* ( *->* originally written by Emily Shephard! )

Don't judge yourself. No one's writing is perfect, so don't kill yourself to become a better writer 24/7. It's important to write from the heart, and if you do that, the writing will automatically be very in-depth and fun to read! Judging yourself and feeling like you're a bad writer after reading someone else's well-written post will never help you on your writing journey. Be proud of your own writing!

And most importantly of all... have fun!!! There are a lot of lovely people to roleplay with here, and this is a place to thrive between commas, spaces, and exclamation points Find your place in the community and add your brick to the house that many people call home!

I hope this helps, and if you'd like to talk further, my owls are always open!

Well-thought out! I agree to all these points.

Thomas Baines wrote: 6 Dec 2025, 20:55 I don't return to HIO as often as I probably should, but it's been amazing to watch this site grow and improve throughout the years. Every time I log on, it's like a totally new experience!

I want to get back into writing here, but I'm honestly not super sure how yet. If any of y'all have any tips let me know

Whoa! A wandering seventh year!

If you want to get back into writing, just find an open thread and hop in! I know that one of my best memories of Hio was when Ileen Knight let some of us brand new firsties RP with her! There are a couple of errands on right now as well!

You could, for example, drop by Peri's Hallowe'en thread and remark on the chaos! You could also hop into the Ravenclaw Table thread and spread some seventh year existential dread around to the incoming first years!

Colin, did you get tangled up fighting a Christmas tree?