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Writing Stories

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by WolfyFluff, Apr 4, 2015.

  1. WolfyFluff

    WolfyFluff Guest

    Does anyone have any tips or advice concerning writing?

    I usually brainstorm ideas and then work on them. I build up a backstory and write down notes on possible characters. Usually I work until I get a summary of the story working. Then after that I just stop. I can't get started when it comes to the actual writng process so I eventually forget about working on it.

    Is there a method or anything that could break that habit?
     
  2. Lyana

    Full Member

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    Here, let me direct you to this thread. You could ask over there.

    Maybe you can be a little more specific? When you sit down to write, do you try to start at the beginning? That may be what's blocking you -- wanting to get that beginning just right, or something.
    Pick a scene that you really, really want to write -- the climax, a big reveal, a betrayal, whatever: something that makes you feel something in your guts --, and write one line, maybe a line of dialogue. Have another character react to that. Now where are they? Who else is there with them? Boom -you're writing.

    You may be suffering from over-planning. Personally I like to plan very precisely, like, down to every chapter, sometimes every scene in detail, but for some people, that kills all the joy in writing the actual story.

    On the other hand, maybe you haven't planned enough and you're just not sure what to write about. What's happening in this scene?

    As for a "method" to break the habit... Write. Don't just plan, don't just plan to write, but write. In particular, write without a plan, write whatever comes to mind. For example, I've written a lot of stuff in class that went nowhere, was supposed to go nowhere: it was just me, bored, needing to write something.
    If you have to, if you really want to, you could try to force yourself to write as often as possible. It doesn't matter if you don't like what comes out, it doesn't matter if you're never going to use it again. You're writing, and that's a start.
     
  3. candyjiru

    Regular Member

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    I've written three manuscripts, and actually work in publishing/editing on the side, lol~ My first advice is to write a very lose skeleton of how you want the story to go. You don't really need to figure out the ending at all if you don't want to haha

    Also, a lot of writers have certain scenes they get in their mind and then rush through the other scenes to get to that one, or give up at that stage. You can always write the scenes you already have scripted and save them to a separate document and piece them together later. If you have those laid out, then you can figure out how the characters would get to those points and connect them from there.

    Also remember, the intro is the hardest part. Skipping it for later can be easier for a lot of writers, and don't forget that you will have to go over your work later and can easily change things up then.

    I also recommend making a cheat sheet with characters names, eye color, hair color, age, etc so you don't get confused and accidentally use the wrong name for a minor character or use the wrong eye color or something minor that will mar your work. (This happens all the time, lol. It's something editors have to deal with constantly x.x)

    Good luck and don't stress~ there will be tons of revisions later so don't worry if something isn't perfect the first time ^.^