TinklePantsGOLD Member
Clique Infiltrator, Cunning Linguist and Master Debator
4,219 posts
Location: Edinburgh burgh burrrrrr, United Kingdom


Posted:
I used to write stories as a kid, I'd sit writing on scraps of paper. When I was older, Whenever we'd get an assignment to write a story at school, I'd always jump at the chance. Since then, I've written a 10 minute screen play, some short erotica, and started various novel projects, which have never gone past chapter four.



I had an idea for another one the other day. I wont give too many details but it's subject is mythological and magic based, like a few of my stories.



My writing starts in my head. When I'm in the zone, I write down ideas and try to incorporate them into my story. I used to try and get all the characters on paper first, the plot, the beginning middle and end, but then like I mentioned earlier, I'd get bored, or stuck.



So I went right back to when I was a kid, and wrote as I did back then, the beginning chapter. Which is ok for now, but I tend to redraft alot and this is where I normally get writer's block. I should write the whole story in rough first, then go back and edit it on pc, which is much easier than the manual typewriter I used to have as a kid.



I usually have alot of ideas, but after the explanation at the beginning, it needs padding, and lots of research.



What I need help with is padding the story out, keeping it focused. Like in real life, I tend to ramble nonsense in my stories too, but written down, sometimes its funny and sometimes its crappy.



I'm currently writing in the first person, so I don't have to think to much about other characters too much, as the character telling the story has lots of history to unveil.



So, here's a basic outline (without giving away too much plot.)



Story begins with my unnamed heroine recalling things, even her own birth. she's a twin.



Later on in the story she has to stop her twin brother doing terrible things, either by talking him out of it, scaring him to death so he'll stop (though neither can die as they are immortal) or finding a way to kill him as a last resort.



its a story about magic, courage, dilemmas, love and loss.



I haven't decided whether her brother dies or is converted yet.



Oh and maybe i'll throw in some poi as the story involves lots of fire, and is set in the modern world. biggrin





Thoughts? Tips? Any true, courageous stories/funny stories I can errrr borrow off you and incorporate into my story? I'll credit you at the end, I promise ubbangel



Many thanks,



The Original Tink wink

Always use "so's your face" and "only on Tuesdays" in as many conversations possible


Bubbles_SILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,384 posts
Location: mancunian, United Kingdom


Posted:
hey tink tongue sounds wicked!

if your having trouble how about having a pre-structure that incorporates lots of little storys and events that you want to include in the full story - this can include places they go, events that happen, even them performing poi wink
and so if your getting writters block of what to do next or where the story should turn, having a pre-structure that includes it all but in basic detail will be good to have to look back on...
writing down little details, or simple ideas you get now and again could give you a little shove when your running out of ideas. i dunno, just a thought smile

Disclaimer:im not responsible for what i say or do whether it be before,during and after drinking alcoholic substances (owned by BMVC).
Creater of Jenisms(TM)
Virginity like bubble,one prick all gone.


BethMiss Whippy
1,262 posts
Location: Cornwall & Oxford


Posted:
I'm a published writer and i'm currently working on my second novel and of all the writing workshops i've been to they've all said the same thing - Plan your story, write the setting, plot, characters, everything before you even write the first line.

WRONG! I completely disagree with this, it is fundamentally incorrect and heres why.

My first novel took me five years to write. It was a labour of love and that book is my baby. I didnt do one word of planning until i knew what the story was going to be and then i always did it in my head, never putting it on paper.

To make characters and plot believable, they have to grow with the story. The characters take the author wherever they want to go and the author just writes the words. They evolve as the story does. If you plan how a book is going to end, you are confined, what if the characters take you in a different direction? then the whole plot you have meticulously planned goes to hell and you get confused so writers block firmly establishes itself. When i write, i have no idea where i'm going, i have no idea what my characters are going to do next and yes, thats a scary prospect but its also hugely liberating because i know that they won't just stop, they wont give me writers block because they want to carry on the story and the adventure and they know where they're going.

The only piece of planning i ever do is to decide what era/planet/country/city my story is going to be set in, and even then i usually end up changing it.

Characters drive a story, they decide. Don't plan them out, don't give them boundaries because then they are limited. They arent real enough to make a story believeable and credible if they dont have room to evolve.

Don't plan, don't think, just write.

Aim high and you'll know your limits, aim low and you'll never know how high you could have climbed.


IgirisujinSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,666 posts
Location: Preston, United Kingdom


Posted:
OOOH storys! I loved writting storys in english when I was at school but I never thought we did it enough. Ive tried to write loads of storys but I allways stumble because I know very little about writting. I dont really know much about english and the practical side of it, like all the obscure little rules which I know are around like never beggining a scentence with certain things, nouns, verbs, bajectives, certain words (Because being one). I dont even know the difference between a noun an abjective or a verb, which is which? lol



When should you actually use an apostraphie? We are? We're? Wer'e? All these little things you get taught in primery school, once and then there never touched on again. No wonder were a nation of bad spellers and slopper grammer...using...people. When do you use a hyphan? Whats this symbol called &? What are : and ; used for?



See. I cant even spell either, and I dont know any interesting words, ide use 'well' and 'because' too much.



Sorry tink I havnt been any help with my post, but remember too keep at it. Its ok to put the story down for a while and come back to it a few weeks later when you've had a rest from it all and accumulated a few new ideas. When you have it finished let us know because ide love to read an orrigional Tinkle lol ubbloco
EDITED_BY: Brit_Joe (1154215014)

Chief adviser to the Pharaoh, in one very snazzy mutli-coloured coat

'Time goes by so slowly for those who wait...' - Whatever Happend To Baby Madonna?


TinklePantsGOLD Member
Clique Infiltrator, Cunning Linguist and Master Debator
4,219 posts
Location: Edinburgh burgh burrrrrr, United Kingdom


Posted:
Thanks guys.

Miss bubblyjubbly jen biggrin
My problem is that I've never had proper storybuilding tuition. I only just managed to complete a ten minute screenplay "blondes don't have more fun" - a mini horror/thriller - a few years ago, and it took a weeks to do!

I always get writers block as i brainstorm the sub plots, then i think my story isn't good enough and i give up.


Miss Beth.
My characters are always imperfect, hence there are always a few surprises, Lets hope this story will be my baby (and hope it wont take as long as yours did! wink )


joseph.
Instead of well or because, you could use- due to or buy a thesaurus, though why you would want a dinosaur is anyones guess ubblol wink

a few days ago, I stumbled upon something called the snowflake method.

here is the page

Basically it gives you steps on how you can expand a short sentence summarising the story idea into the full blown thing, and it's really simple! I did step 2 yesterday and it helped me fill in gaps in my story, and character motivation. So today I will move on to step 3, building the characters. I know my heroin will have a nemesis - her brother, and a son, a love interest, a love rival, and people who help / hinder her goal.


An original tink is in the making!

Always use "so's your face" and "only on Tuesdays" in as many conversations possible


FireTomStargazer
6,650 posts

Posted:
eeepa eeepa, writing is good fun, I just finished my handbook "travel advices for Asia Pt. 1 Thailand Bangkok" (unfortunately so far only in German) - it's been heck of some work and I had to push myself real hard to finalize it - but it gives one a positive rush to have something written, finished and read by others... (much like a clever post on HoP...)

Had an article about Bali's aftermath of the 2002 bombings published in a German newspaper (and a left one, too) - certainly gives some ego-polish... biggrin

Writing is fun! Do it if you haven't yet.... memories fade faster than ink on a paper... wink

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink


EeraBRONZE Member
old hand
1,107 posts
Location: In a test pit, Mackay, Australia


Posted:
Yay for creativity. I got 100,000 words into a novel once, then lost interest, must revive it at some point.

I agree with Beth, I found through coincidence rather than planning things seemed to fall into place. The entire thing was based around my want to see a book with a realistic sex scene in it, which grew into a novella about genetic engineering (I don't know how it did either).

Maybe that came out wrong. Um.

There is a slight possibility that I am not actually right all of the time.


wonderloeyenthusiast
255 posts
Location: Melbourne - home of pirates


Posted:
Slightly off topic, but when you get it finished, if you are looking at getting it published, I suggest reading the blog of Miss Snark . She has plenty of handy tips for how not to get rolled.

My writing tends to grow organically - characters and plot kind of bounce off each other, often I'll rewrite the beginning because the end turns out so differently. But that's probably just as well.. I tend to be semi-autobiographical, and its nice when characters that were my friends morph into people of their own. smile

"You've gone from Loey the Wonder Lesbian to everyone wondering if you are a lesbian." - Shadowman

Yesterday is yesterday. If we try to recapture it, we will only lose tomorrow.



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