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Stanford NLP 87

s2eqfz

writing_train

I know what happened in my story. I just don’t know how to start it. It’s pretty self explanatory. Does anyone have advice?

hse3kyf

hsdzeis

When I can't start, I write, "It is a truth, universally acknowledged that \[something about my plot\]. So, to use your example, I'd probably write: *It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that if a whole town is going crazy, the first place you check is the water supply. That's how Jane Crow found herself at the local reservoir with a rack of test tubes and two sheriffs deputies.* I find if I can just get that first sentence on paper, all the sentences to follow are much, much easier. And using the opening from Pride and Prejudice both fronts me some words so I can get started, and makes me take sentence one less seriously so it isn't as intimidating. Then I pour one out for Jane Austin and fix it in editing. Good luck.

Write the scene you’re most excited about. Try again after.

s2eqfz

writing_train

I know what happened in my story. I just don’t know how to start it. It’s pretty self explanatory. Does anyone have advice?

hse3kyf

hsdzfsj

When I can't start, I write, "It is a truth, universally acknowledged that \[something about my plot\]. So, to use your example, I'd probably write: *It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that if a whole town is going crazy, the first place you check is the water supply. That's how Jane Crow found herself at the local reservoir with a rack of test tubes and two sheriffs deputies.* I find if I can just get that first sentence on paper, all the sentences to follow are much, much easier. And using the opening from Pride and Prejudice both fronts me some words so I can get started, and makes me take sentence one less seriously so it isn't as intimidating. Then I pour one out for Jane Austin and fix it in editing. Good luck.

Start with what you know instead! Get everything in the story that you know, and let the beginning stem from that. Things may become clearer as you progress. If you've already written everything you can and still aren't sure about a beginning, try some brainstorming exercises to flesh out details for the relevant characters, spaces, or plot points, and be as creative as you can be. Ask any question about those elements that you've not answered yet. Come up with lots of possibilities, and eventually you'll be able to weed through those to find something realistic, relevant, and interesting. Then start!

s2eqfz

writing_train

I know what happened in my story. I just don’t know how to start it. It’s pretty self explanatory. Does anyone have advice?

hse3kyf

hsdzher

When I can't start, I write, "It is a truth, universally acknowledged that \[something about my plot\]. So, to use your example, I'd probably write: *It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that if a whole town is going crazy, the first place you check is the water supply. That's how Jane Crow found herself at the local reservoir with a rack of test tubes and two sheriffs deputies.* I find if I can just get that first sentence on paper, all the sentences to follow are much, much easier. And using the opening from Pride and Prejudice both fronts me some words so I can get started, and makes me take sentence one less seriously so it isn't as intimidating. Then I pour one out for Jane Austin and fix it in editing. Good luck.

I find it really hard to write a story if I know what I think I want to have happen. But I’ll often have an idea for something that happens, then think, “Who are the people that could make this happen? What did they want? What empowered them to make this happen (intentionally or not)?” Then I set up their environment and have them start trying to get what they want. It might have a different outcome than I imagined, but it’s always better than the wild idea that I started with anyway.

s2eqfz

writing_train

I know what happened in my story. I just don’t know how to start it. It’s pretty self explanatory. Does anyone have advice?

hsfw4pg

hsdzher

I encourage you to try and write whatever comes to your mind for the start, even if it may feel too simple or too odd. I was in your situation as well. I was hesitant to think of anything because I was too afraid that whatever I come up with is not going to make sense with the original "middle" of the story. But i was shocked how fluently ideas came together. So just try to come up with something and if you think you can't, then lower your expectations of complexity and make it simple for the start. That might even make your story interesting in a sense that your world will slowly progress. It's risky, but it can pay off. But again, I'm just writing all this from my experience as a tiny super unprofessional writer. I have no idea of how you imagined things in your story, but I'll be happy if at least one word helps you.

I find it really hard to write a story if I know what I think I want to have happen. But I’ll often have an idea for something that happens, then think, “Who are the people that could make this happen? What did they want? What empowered them to make this happen (intentionally or not)?” Then I set up their environment and have them start trying to get what they want. It might have a different outcome than I imagined, but it’s always better than the wild idea that I started with anyway.

s2eqfz

writing_train

I know what happened in my story. I just don’t know how to start it. It’s pretty self explanatory. Does anyone have advice?

hsfw4pg

hsebttk

I encourage you to try and write whatever comes to your mind for the start, even if it may feel too simple or too odd. I was in your situation as well. I was hesitant to think of anything because I was too afraid that whatever I come up with is not going to make sense with the original "middle" of the story. But i was shocked how fluently ideas came together. So just try to come up with something and if you think you can't, then lower your expectations of complexity and make it simple for the start. That might even make your story interesting in a sense that your world will slowly progress. It's risky, but it can pay off. But again, I'm just writing all this from my experience as a tiny super unprofessional writer. I have no idea of how you imagined things in your story, but I'll be happy if at least one word helps you.

Just shit the story out onto the page, as much as you have, and then figure out where it should start once you write it. How it starts isn't that important in a first draft.

s2eqfz

writing_train

I know what happened in my story. I just don’t know how to start it. It’s pretty self explanatory. Does anyone have advice?

hsehaae

hsfw4pg

Start stories by letting readers know what they can expect without, you know, giving it all away in the beginning. If the story is an investigation, you start with the mystery. >It’s pretty self explanatory. Something hilarious about this statement.

I encourage you to try and write whatever comes to your mind for the start, even if it may feel too simple or too odd. I was in your situation as well. I was hesitant to think of anything because I was too afraid that whatever I come up with is not going to make sense with the original "middle" of the story. But i was shocked how fluently ideas came together. So just try to come up with something and if you think you can't, then lower your expectations of complexity and make it simple for the start. That might even make your story interesting in a sense that your world will slowly progress. It's risky, but it can pay off. But again, I'm just writing all this from my experience as a tiny super unprofessional writer. I have no idea of how you imagined things in your story, but I'll be happy if at least one word helps you.

s2eqfz

writing_train

I know what happened in my story. I just don’t know how to start it. It’s pretty self explanatory. Does anyone have advice?

hseomw9

hsfw4pg

I started writing my story with a fight scene. Literally just jumped straight into it. First line of my book at the moment is “The knife flew through the air, cutting the wind and embedding itself in the back of his head”. Am I going to leave this as the opening of my story? Probably not, but for now that’s what I’ve got and I’m just continuing my story from there until I decide how I want it to start. So as other people have said, start it however you want. Worry about it later

I encourage you to try and write whatever comes to your mind for the start, even if it may feel too simple or too odd. I was in your situation as well. I was hesitant to think of anything because I was too afraid that whatever I come up with is not going to make sense with the original "middle" of the story. But i was shocked how fluently ideas came together. So just try to come up with something and if you think you can't, then lower your expectations of complexity and make it simple for the start. That might even make your story interesting in a sense that your world will slowly progress. It's risky, but it can pay off. But again, I'm just writing all this from my experience as a tiny super unprofessional writer. I have no idea of how you imagined things in your story, but I'll be happy if at least one word helps you.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

hteutqo

htf0xdb

I mean, I think so. I did little test drives for my characters and it really helped my process. I don’t know if this makes “good” characters, but it certainly gives you time to flesh them out while not having to worry about all the other comments of a larger story. I usually write small, easy conflicts for them and see where it takes me

I think so. You might try writing the main characters all facing the same obstacle and seeing how they react to it. You could do it as a group or individually. Such as reaching a crossroads where each path leads to different things they want/need. Do they assume that the crossroads is a lie? Do they sit and agonize over their choices? Or do they just pick one and *go*, regardless of consequences? I also wouldn't spend a ton of time on each one. Once you think of the scenario you might get a better sense of the characters more quickly, even without writing much down.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

hteyzkw

htf0xdb

Don't waste time and effort on backstories if they won't be relevant or referenced. You have dozens of characters. That would be a herculean task. What often happens with me is I'll write a backstory into the story because it's important, then during rewrites I cut them out because it turns out it wasn't that all that necessary in the end. The result was that I inadvertently wrote an unprinted backstory that shaped the finished character anyway. So it sounds like I'm saying *do* write backstories, but what I'm actually saying is write stories you plan to print, then cut out the ones that turn out not to be unnecessary. Some will make it onto the page. The ones that didn't will have still shaped the story. And you won't have wasted effort on words you weren't planning on printing anyway. All that said, if you're truly inspired to write some backstory you never plan to print, FUCK IT: write it anyway! Don't look a gift house in the mouth. Motivation to write doesn't always come easy. But if you're forcing yourself, just know you don't need to.

I think so. You might try writing the main characters all facing the same obstacle and seeing how they react to it. You could do it as a group or individually. Such as reaching a crossroads where each path leads to different things they want/need. Do they assume that the crossroads is a lie? Do they sit and agonize over their choices? Or do they just pick one and *go*, regardless of consequences? I also wouldn't spend a ton of time on each one. Once you think of the scenario you might get a better sense of the characters more quickly, even without writing much down.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htfi2zf

hteutqo

Someone here previously linked to Randy Ingermanson's "snowflake method" for novels, which includes writing a summary of your story from each character's perspective/about each character. It sounds like you are about at the stage where you would do this if you wanted to. I love watching the screenwriting series Film Courage, which primarily interviews very successful screenwriters. This interview with Jeff Kitchen in particular is a good one for you and there are time stamps.

I mean, I think so. I did little test drives for my characters and it really helped my process. I don’t know if this makes “good” characters, but it certainly gives you time to flesh them out while not having to worry about all the other comments of a larger story. I usually write small, easy conflicts for them and see where it takes me

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htfi2zf

hteyzkw

Someone here previously linked to Randy Ingermanson's "snowflake method" for novels, which includes writing a summary of your story from each character's perspective/about each character. It sounds like you are about at the stage where you would do this if you wanted to. I love watching the screenwriting series Film Courage, which primarily interviews very successful screenwriters. This interview with Jeff Kitchen in particular is a good one for you and there are time stamps.

Don't waste time and effort on backstories if they won't be relevant or referenced. You have dozens of characters. That would be a herculean task. What often happens with me is I'll write a backstory into the story because it's important, then during rewrites I cut them out because it turns out it wasn't that all that necessary in the end. The result was that I inadvertently wrote an unprinted backstory that shaped the finished character anyway. So it sounds like I'm saying *do* write backstories, but what I'm actually saying is write stories you plan to print, then cut out the ones that turn out not to be unnecessary. Some will make it onto the page. The ones that didn't will have still shaped the story. And you won't have wasted effort on words you weren't planning on printing anyway. All that said, if you're truly inspired to write some backstory you never plan to print, FUCK IT: write it anyway! Don't look a gift house in the mouth. Motivation to write doesn't always come easy. But if you're forcing yourself, just know you don't need to.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htf3and

htfi2zf

My advice is to just write without depth. As you write, you will discover more depth to your characters. Take notes, then after the first draft is done, go back and rewrite the dialogue to add depth. This way the depth you discover is relevant to your story while if you write the stories, it might not be as tight, and might even cause confusion.

Someone here previously linked to Randy Ingermanson's "snowflake method" for novels, which includes writing a summary of your story from each character's perspective/about each character. It sounds like you are about at the stage where you would do this if you wanted to. I love watching the screenwriting series Film Courage, which primarily interviews very successful screenwriters. This interview with Jeff Kitchen in particular is a good one for you and there are time stamps.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htfi2zf

htf0xmv

Someone here previously linked to Randy Ingermanson's "snowflake method" for novels, which includes writing a summary of your story from each character's perspective/about each character. It sounds like you are about at the stage where you would do this if you wanted to. I love watching the screenwriting series Film Courage, which primarily interviews very successful screenwriters. This interview with Jeff Kitchen in particular is a good one for you and there are time stamps.

It's certainly a good way to procrastinate.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htf3and

htflkci

My advice is to just write without depth. As you write, you will discover more depth to your characters. Take notes, then after the first draft is done, go back and rewrite the dialogue to add depth. This way the depth you discover is relevant to your story while if you write the stories, it might not be as tight, and might even cause confusion.

The belief around here seems to be that characters are the most important thing, so I think that you should do whatever you feel like in order to give them depth. For me personally, I wrote some short scenes about them before I even started writing the book, ones where I could see their characters clearly. Then, after I started writing, I wrote backstories for them all (ones that were relevant to the book), then if I ever felt stuck, I did things like filling in personality tests or writing diary pages as them. You probably won't have to do so much, otherwise it starts to become a form of procrastination, but I do think going in with a clear idea of who your characters are is very helpful in the long run.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htf0xmv

htflkci

It's certainly a good way to procrastinate.

The belief around here seems to be that characters are the most important thing, so I think that you should do whatever you feel like in order to give them depth. For me personally, I wrote some short scenes about them before I even started writing the book, ones where I could see their characters clearly. Then, after I started writing, I wrote backstories for them all (ones that were relevant to the book), then if I ever felt stuck, I did things like filling in personality tests or writing diary pages as them. You probably won't have to do so much, otherwise it starts to become a form of procrastination, but I do think going in with a clear idea of who your characters are is very helpful in the long run.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htfk0ji

htflkci

Or like short scenes. I have some short stories for experiences that can't be packed into a long/short scene. Helps me.

The belief around here seems to be that characters are the most important thing, so I think that you should do whatever you feel like in order to give them depth. For me personally, I wrote some short scenes about them before I even started writing the book, ones where I could see their characters clearly. Then, after I started writing, I wrote backstories for them all (ones that were relevant to the book), then if I ever felt stuck, I did things like filling in personality tests or writing diary pages as them. You probably won't have to do so much, otherwise it starts to become a form of procrastination, but I do think going in with a clear idea of who your characters are is very helpful in the long run.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htgqp98

htgmc4r

I like doing it, it lets me get into the characters head and helps me develop their backstory. It also makes it easier if I want to have the character remember an event in their lives

I do all sorts of personality tests from my characters' point of view as establishment, then while writing I will play RPGs and build characters that my characters would play. I don't play AS the character, I play whatever my character would play. It's fun.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htgmc4r

hth4uls

I do all sorts of personality tests from my characters' point of view as establishment, then while writing I will play RPGs and build characters that my characters would play. I don't play AS the character, I play whatever my character would play. It's fun.

I did that. 150k words later I self-published a whole novel about one of the side characters. Still haven't gotten around to that 'main story'... whoops

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htineoj

htgmc4r

I often will write a lot of content that doesn't directly go into the story. It can be a good low pressure way to explore the characters and narrative style. It's up to you what your process looks like, so if it feels right go for it! I don't think it's a waste of time, as long as you move on once you've achieved your goal of understanding the character and don't get too caught up in perfecting the pre-writing writing.

I do all sorts of personality tests from my characters' point of view as establishment, then while writing I will play RPGs and build characters that my characters would play. I don't play AS the character, I play whatever my character would play. It's fun.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htj25ep

htgmc4r

Look up vignettes and create a bunch of them. Then put them together in a book. Have a single narrative flow throughout them all

I do all sorts of personality tests from my characters' point of view as establishment, then while writing I will play RPGs and build characters that my characters would play. I don't play AS the character, I play whatever my character would play. It's fun.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htkt7rk

htgmc4r

Always, everytime. Writing a Character Bible throws up so many possibilities for interactions, sub plots and developments in the story. I find it an incredibly useful resource when I'm struggling to write on upcoming scenes. Writing all the characters back stories really informs decisions on the big events. It's also happy distraction for me when I'm having a slow day.

I do all sorts of personality tests from my characters' point of view as establishment, then while writing I will play RPGs and build characters that my characters would play. I don't play AS the character, I play whatever my character would play. It's fun.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htgqp98

htgposw

I like doing it, it lets me get into the characters head and helps me develop their backstory. It also makes it easier if I want to have the character remember an event in their lives

Unpopular opinion, but no. It's a waste of time and a way for you to avoid doing the thing that intimidates you, which is writing your actual screenplay. You will learn immeasurably more about the craft of writing--including building characters--by jumping into the thing that scares you: writing the screenplay.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htgposw

hth4uls

Unpopular opinion, but no. It's a waste of time and a way for you to avoid doing the thing that intimidates you, which is writing your actual screenplay. You will learn immeasurably more about the craft of writing--including building characters--by jumping into the thing that scares you: writing the screenplay.

I did that. 150k words later I self-published a whole novel about one of the side characters. Still haven't gotten around to that 'main story'... whoops

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htgposw

htineoj

Unpopular opinion, but no. It's a waste of time and a way for you to avoid doing the thing that intimidates you, which is writing your actual screenplay. You will learn immeasurably more about the craft of writing--including building characters--by jumping into the thing that scares you: writing the screenplay.

I often will write a lot of content that doesn't directly go into the story. It can be a good low pressure way to explore the characters and narrative style. It's up to you what your process looks like, so if it feels right go for it! I don't think it's a waste of time, as long as you move on once you've achieved your goal of understanding the character and don't get too caught up in perfecting the pre-writing writing.

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htgposw

htj25ep

Unpopular opinion, but no. It's a waste of time and a way for you to avoid doing the thing that intimidates you, which is writing your actual screenplay. You will learn immeasurably more about the craft of writing--including building characters--by jumping into the thing that scares you: writing the screenplay.

Look up vignettes and create a bunch of them. Then put them together in a book. Have a single narrative flow throughout them all

s8811m

writing_train

Would writing individual short stories for your characters be a good way to give them depth before writing the main story? I am trying to write a screenplay. I have my idea laid out, but am struggling with dialogue and actions because I can’t put my mind in the mind of my characters, who really have no depth beyond their role in the story. For any more experienced writers, do you think this could be a good, albeit time consuming, way to build characters?

htgposw

htkt7rk

Unpopular opinion, but no. It's a waste of time and a way for you to avoid doing the thing that intimidates you, which is writing your actual screenplay. You will learn immeasurably more about the craft of writing--including building characters--by jumping into the thing that scares you: writing the screenplay.

Always, everytime. Writing a Character Bible throws up so many possibilities for interactions, sub plots and developments in the story. I find it an incredibly useful resource when I'm struggling to write on upcoming scenes. Writing all the characters back stories really informs decisions on the big events. It's also happy distraction for me when I'm having a slow day.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

ise08cb

ise4hl1

I think you just need to be honest with yourself. You’ve taken steps to start, you’ve come up with ideas to start, yet you’re unwilling to pull the trigger. Something is there. You just have to figure out why none of what you’ve put together is enough to actually start. Maybe you just need to make one singular character, that you connect with, and start writing. Nothing else, at least at the beginning. Then you’re discovering the world with that one character.

I swear there must be something in the water. These posts get dumber by the day.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

isdz3wh

ise4hl1

Yeah, seems like you're on the right track and trying is the only way to know.

I swear there must be something in the water. These posts get dumber by the day.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

ise08cb

isen3qh

I think you just need to be honest with yourself. You’ve taken steps to start, you’ve come up with ideas to start, yet you’re unwilling to pull the trigger. Something is there. You just have to figure out why none of what you’ve put together is enough to actually start. Maybe you just need to make one singular character, that you connect with, and start writing. Nothing else, at least at the beginning. Then you’re discovering the world with that one character.

I have had such a similar problem! I don't know if our reasons are the same, but maybe I can help. When this happens to me, it's usually because I've come up with an idea that appeals to me on a rational level, instead of following an emotional thread. Try putting aside everything you think you'd like to write about, and instead focus on feeling something. For me, I often listen to music, and just explore the emotions different songs bring up. Or sometimes I have a strong emotion leftover from a dream, or a real-life conflict, and I use writing to vent that. Follow the feeling of it, not the idea of it. If that doesn't make any sense, I can't blame you, but that's what it's like for me. I should note that when I do this, what I end up writing is almost never the beginning. It's more like the climax of the plot, and then I go back and write the beginning later. Sometimes, too, it's just a matter of literally not knowing how to start. Like just choosing a first word can paralyze you. If that's something you struggle with, look up prompts for first sentences and just use one of those.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

isehd6k

isen3qh

I mean I can share my story of how I got into a niche! In 2019 I fell in love with reading Wattpad teen pregnancy stories. The bad boy boyfriend who always stepped up, how the babies alway turned out to be boy/girl or girl/girl twins. I read and read and read these stories. Just ate them up. I decided to write my own, changing the tropes a bit (boy/boy twins and a dead beat dad). It blows up. Three years later it has a million reads, it got me into Wattpad’s promotional program, and I’m writing my tenth or so teen pregnancy story. I have readers that come back for each new book. I love trying out new ideas with the genre!

I have had such a similar problem! I don't know if our reasons are the same, but maybe I can help. When this happens to me, it's usually because I've come up with an idea that appeals to me on a rational level, instead of following an emotional thread. Try putting aside everything you think you'd like to write about, and instead focus on feeling something. For me, I often listen to music, and just explore the emotions different songs bring up. Or sometimes I have a strong emotion leftover from a dream, or a real-life conflict, and I use writing to vent that. Follow the feeling of it, not the idea of it. If that doesn't make any sense, I can't blame you, but that's what it's like for me. I should note that when I do this, what I end up writing is almost never the beginning. It's more like the climax of the plot, and then I go back and write the beginning later. Sometimes, too, it's just a matter of literally not knowing how to start. Like just choosing a first word can paralyze you. If that's something you struggle with, look up prompts for first sentences and just use one of those.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

isdz3wh

isen3qh

Yeah, seems like you're on the right track and trying is the only way to know.

I have had such a similar problem! I don't know if our reasons are the same, but maybe I can help. When this happens to me, it's usually because I've come up with an idea that appeals to me on a rational level, instead of following an emotional thread. Try putting aside everything you think you'd like to write about, and instead focus on feeling something. For me, I often listen to music, and just explore the emotions different songs bring up. Or sometimes I have a strong emotion leftover from a dream, or a real-life conflict, and I use writing to vent that. Follow the feeling of it, not the idea of it. If that doesn't make any sense, I can't blame you, but that's what it's like for me. I should note that when I do this, what I end up writing is almost never the beginning. It's more like the climax of the plot, and then I go back and write the beginning later. Sometimes, too, it's just a matter of literally not knowing how to start. Like just choosing a first word can paralyze you. If that's something you struggle with, look up prompts for first sentences and just use one of those.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

isen1yu

isen3qh

> it’s not that I don’t have story ideas, it’s just that the story ideas I’ve come up with don’t connect with me as something I’d really enjoy writing. Ok you have two ways of going about this: Understanding that your brain is giving you ideas of what you want to write…because they are the ideas YOU are coming up with. Or brainstorm what you actually do want to see in a story and what you would love to write.

I have had such a similar problem! I don't know if our reasons are the same, but maybe I can help. When this happens to me, it's usually because I've come up with an idea that appeals to me on a rational level, instead of following an emotional thread. Try putting aside everything you think you'd like to write about, and instead focus on feeling something. For me, I often listen to music, and just explore the emotions different songs bring up. Or sometimes I have a strong emotion leftover from a dream, or a real-life conflict, and I use writing to vent that. Follow the feeling of it, not the idea of it. If that doesn't make any sense, I can't blame you, but that's what it's like for me. I should note that when I do this, what I end up writing is almost never the beginning. It's more like the climax of the plot, and then I go back and write the beginning later. Sometimes, too, it's just a matter of literally not knowing how to start. Like just choosing a first word can paralyze you. If that's something you struggle with, look up prompts for first sentences and just use one of those.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

iseibuu

isen3qh

If there's nothing in your head - write about your childhood. Not necessarily important stuff, just something you remember. Actually, write about something you forgot. Short story, 2-3 pager, but don't be afraid of writing more.

I have had such a similar problem! I don't know if our reasons are the same, but maybe I can help. When this happens to me, it's usually because I've come up with an idea that appeals to me on a rational level, instead of following an emotional thread. Try putting aside everything you think you'd like to write about, and instead focus on feeling something. For me, I often listen to music, and just explore the emotions different songs bring up. Or sometimes I have a strong emotion leftover from a dream, or a real-life conflict, and I use writing to vent that. Follow the feeling of it, not the idea of it. If that doesn't make any sense, I can't blame you, but that's what it's like for me. I should note that when I do this, what I end up writing is almost never the beginning. It's more like the climax of the plot, and then I go back and write the beginning later. Sometimes, too, it's just a matter of literally not knowing how to start. Like just choosing a first word can paralyze you. If that's something you struggle with, look up prompts for first sentences and just use one of those.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

isdz3wh

ise08cb

Yeah, seems like you're on the right track and trying is the only way to know.

I think you just need to be honest with yourself. You’ve taken steps to start, you’ve come up with ideas to start, yet you’re unwilling to pull the trigger. Something is there. You just have to figure out why none of what you’ve put together is enough to actually start. Maybe you just need to make one singular character, that you connect with, and start writing. Nothing else, at least at the beginning. Then you’re discovering the world with that one character.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

isdz3wh

isehd6k

Yeah, seems like you're on the right track and trying is the only way to know.

I mean I can share my story of how I got into a niche! In 2019 I fell in love with reading Wattpad teen pregnancy stories. The bad boy boyfriend who always stepped up, how the babies alway turned out to be boy/girl or girl/girl twins. I read and read and read these stories. Just ate them up. I decided to write my own, changing the tropes a bit (boy/boy twins and a dead beat dad). It blows up. Three years later it has a million reads, it got me into Wattpad’s promotional program, and I’m writing my tenth or so teen pregnancy story. I have readers that come back for each new book. I love trying out new ideas with the genre!

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

iseibuu

isen1yu

If there's nothing in your head - write about your childhood. Not necessarily important stuff, just something you remember. Actually, write about something you forgot. Short story, 2-3 pager, but don't be afraid of writing more.

> it’s not that I don’t have story ideas, it’s just that the story ideas I’ve come up with don’t connect with me as something I’d really enjoy writing. Ok you have two ways of going about this: Understanding that your brain is giving you ideas of what you want to write…because they are the ideas YOU are coming up with. Or brainstorm what you actually do want to see in a story and what you would love to write.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

iweqhz3

iseibuu

I empathize with your plight. I have so many story ideas that I know, from my story development and editing experience, are really good ones as far as characters, themes, and story hooks. But I haven't gotten past the barest of outlines or random notes for any of them. On the other hand, I have two stories that just sort of poured out of me. They're both very unconventional so they haven't racked up millions of reads, but both have won Watty awards so I know they have some merit and appeal. It's different for everyone and mostly a case of trial and error, but I can tell you what helped me after years of struggling to finish a story. 1) I find that when writers have a story idea they really like but no story that compels them to write it, it's because they don't have a strong character arc for the main character and/or a strong set of conflicts (internal and external) that need to be resolved by the end of the story. If you don't know your beginning, middle, and end states (for both plot and character,) it's hard to write a cohesive and compelling story. 2) Don't force yourself to write a novel-length work. Write one-shots, short stories, chat stories, fan fiction, or story bibles for the ideas that intrigue you. A lot of writers stall under the external pressure to produce a 50,000+ word story in a conventional format instead of exploring the characters, conflicts, and concepts that got them interested in the idea in the first place. 3) Keep writing (whatever you can write--see #2 above) so that you get a sense of how you write best. It took me a long time to realize that I'm a dialogue-person. And until I can hear my characters speaking to each other in my head, my story isn't going anywhere--even if I love the story concept and the characters themselves. My true creativity doesn't cut loose until my characters find their voices and start talking, teasing, misleading, seducing, and fighting with each other. That's when they come alive. So now, I usually start with the dialogue and fill in the rest once I've gotten momentum. I think if you let go of all the expectations around how and what you should write, and just give yourself the freedom to explore characters, worlds, and ideas in any format and in any way they come to you and then just leave it at that, you'll make much more progress towards your goal because you'll have something organic to build on when you're ready. And don't forget character & conflict! So many stories die on the vine because they don't have challenging and compelling ones. Sorry this is so long, but I hope something in here helps. And if you keep at it, you'll eventually figure out what kind of writer you are.

If there's nothing in your head - write about your childhood. Not necessarily important stuff, just something you remember. Actually, write about something you forgot. Short story, 2-3 pager, but don't be afraid of writing more.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

iseohx8

iweqhz3

Think of a moment in your past that profoundly changed the way you view life and how it should be lived. Has a death of a close person ever made you reconsider your priorities? Has a breakup ever made you reconsider what love means? Has a ethical quandry ever made you reconsider morality and what is good and bad? Think of a moment where you were faced with this difficult decision in life: option A or option B. Now try to write a character that goes through a similar journey, that persues a want because they believe in option A, are challenged because of this belief, and ultimately have to decide between A or B.

I empathize with your plight. I have so many story ideas that I know, from my story development and editing experience, are really good ones as far as characters, themes, and story hooks. But I haven't gotten past the barest of outlines or random notes for any of them. On the other hand, I have two stories that just sort of poured out of me. They're both very unconventional so they haven't racked up millions of reads, but both have won Watty awards so I know they have some merit and appeal. It's different for everyone and mostly a case of trial and error, but I can tell you what helped me after years of struggling to finish a story. 1) I find that when writers have a story idea they really like but no story that compels them to write it, it's because they don't have a strong character arc for the main character and/or a strong set of conflicts (internal and external) that need to be resolved by the end of the story. If you don't know your beginning, middle, and end states (for both plot and character,) it's hard to write a cohesive and compelling story. 2) Don't force yourself to write a novel-length work. Write one-shots, short stories, chat stories, fan fiction, or story bibles for the ideas that intrigue you. A lot of writers stall under the external pressure to produce a 50,000+ word story in a conventional format instead of exploring the characters, conflicts, and concepts that got them interested in the idea in the first place. 3) Keep writing (whatever you can write--see #2 above) so that you get a sense of how you write best. It took me a long time to realize that I'm a dialogue-person. And until I can hear my characters speaking to each other in my head, my story isn't going anywhere--even if I love the story concept and the characters themselves. My true creativity doesn't cut loose until my characters find their voices and start talking, teasing, misleading, seducing, and fighting with each other. That's when they come alive. So now, I usually start with the dialogue and fill in the rest once I've gotten momentum. I think if you let go of all the expectations around how and what you should write, and just give yourself the freedom to explore characters, worlds, and ideas in any format and in any way they come to you and then just leave it at that, you'll make much more progress towards your goal because you'll have something organic to build on when you're ready. And don't forget character & conflict! So many stories die on the vine because they don't have challenging and compelling ones. Sorry this is so long, but I hope something in here helps. And if you keep at it, you'll eventually figure out what kind of writer you are.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

iweqhz3

iset1j8

I empathize with your plight. I have so many story ideas that I know, from my story development and editing experience, are really good ones as far as characters, themes, and story hooks. But I haven't gotten past the barest of outlines or random notes for any of them. On the other hand, I have two stories that just sort of poured out of me. They're both very unconventional so they haven't racked up millions of reads, but both have won Watty awards so I know they have some merit and appeal. It's different for everyone and mostly a case of trial and error, but I can tell you what helped me after years of struggling to finish a story. 1) I find that when writers have a story idea they really like but no story that compels them to write it, it's because they don't have a strong character arc for the main character and/or a strong set of conflicts (internal and external) that need to be resolved by the end of the story. If you don't know your beginning, middle, and end states (for both plot and character,) it's hard to write a cohesive and compelling story. 2) Don't force yourself to write a novel-length work. Write one-shots, short stories, chat stories, fan fiction, or story bibles for the ideas that intrigue you. A lot of writers stall under the external pressure to produce a 50,000+ word story in a conventional format instead of exploring the characters, conflicts, and concepts that got them interested in the idea in the first place. 3) Keep writing (whatever you can write--see #2 above) so that you get a sense of how you write best. It took me a long time to realize that I'm a dialogue-person. And until I can hear my characters speaking to each other in my head, my story isn't going anywhere--even if I love the story concept and the characters themselves. My true creativity doesn't cut loose until my characters find their voices and start talking, teasing, misleading, seducing, and fighting with each other. That's when they come alive. So now, I usually start with the dialogue and fill in the rest once I've gotten momentum. I think if you let go of all the expectations around how and what you should write, and just give yourself the freedom to explore characters, worlds, and ideas in any format and in any way they come to you and then just leave it at that, you'll make much more progress towards your goal because you'll have something organic to build on when you're ready. And don't forget character & conflict! So many stories die on the vine because they don't have challenging and compelling ones. Sorry this is so long, but I hope something in here helps. And if you keep at it, you'll eventually figure out what kind of writer you are.

Think of anything that DOES move you and you DO have real feelings about. Turn that into a story.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

isex5ti

iweqhz3

What fiction speaks to you? Personally, I’ve felt a lot of lack of representation of people with lives like mine in fiction. When someone finally made a TV show with a character with similar life experiences I binged it and watched it on a loop and couldn’t stand to watch anything else because being represented made me realize how erased I’d felt everywhere else. Most of my writing has been nonfiction, but if I were to write fiction, I’d have to sit down and analyze what about the characters in that TV show I identify with so strongly. I wouldn’t want to file the serial numbers off so much as identify the features I need to feel like the characters represent the world as I’ve experienced it. Because it’s obviously a big deal to me or I’d be able to watch anything else without thinking, “nah, that makes me feel erased.” So my advice is figure out what really sucks you in and analyze it with an eye towards the things that draw you to the characters and the story as opposed to more formal or objective things about the story.

I empathize with your plight. I have so many story ideas that I know, from my story development and editing experience, are really good ones as far as characters, themes, and story hooks. But I haven't gotten past the barest of outlines or random notes for any of them. On the other hand, I have two stories that just sort of poured out of me. They're both very unconventional so they haven't racked up millions of reads, but both have won Watty awards so I know they have some merit and appeal. It's different for everyone and mostly a case of trial and error, but I can tell you what helped me after years of struggling to finish a story. 1) I find that when writers have a story idea they really like but no story that compels them to write it, it's because they don't have a strong character arc for the main character and/or a strong set of conflicts (internal and external) that need to be resolved by the end of the story. If you don't know your beginning, middle, and end states (for both plot and character,) it's hard to write a cohesive and compelling story. 2) Don't force yourself to write a novel-length work. Write one-shots, short stories, chat stories, fan fiction, or story bibles for the ideas that intrigue you. A lot of writers stall under the external pressure to produce a 50,000+ word story in a conventional format instead of exploring the characters, conflicts, and concepts that got them interested in the idea in the first place. 3) Keep writing (whatever you can write--see #2 above) so that you get a sense of how you write best. It took me a long time to realize that I'm a dialogue-person. And until I can hear my characters speaking to each other in my head, my story isn't going anywhere--even if I love the story concept and the characters themselves. My true creativity doesn't cut loose until my characters find their voices and start talking, teasing, misleading, seducing, and fighting with each other. That's when they come alive. So now, I usually start with the dialogue and fill in the rest once I've gotten momentum. I think if you let go of all the expectations around how and what you should write, and just give yourself the freedom to explore characters, worlds, and ideas in any format and in any way they come to you and then just leave it at that, you'll make much more progress towards your goal because you'll have something organic to build on when you're ready. And don't forget character & conflict! So many stories die on the vine because they don't have challenging and compelling ones. Sorry this is so long, but I hope something in here helps. And if you keep at it, you'll eventually figure out what kind of writer you are.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

isf2ocf

iweqhz3

I think what would be helpful is in understanding what a central message is and how it's woven into stories to give meaning to them. You have ideas, but you're not in love with them and it's likely because you're not treating them as allegories that express your main point. Perhaps you don't even have a main point to your stories or you're simply struggling to come up with one you can resonate with. Here's a really helpful article that details the ins and outs of a central message and supplanting them into your stories effectively. Hope this helps. I had the same issue when I first started but learning about this fundamentally made me a better writer.

I empathize with your plight. I have so many story ideas that I know, from my story development and editing experience, are really good ones as far as characters, themes, and story hooks. But I haven't gotten past the barest of outlines or random notes for any of them. On the other hand, I have two stories that just sort of poured out of me. They're both very unconventional so they haven't racked up millions of reads, but both have won Watty awards so I know they have some merit and appeal. It's different for everyone and mostly a case of trial and error, but I can tell you what helped me after years of struggling to finish a story. 1) I find that when writers have a story idea they really like but no story that compels them to write it, it's because they don't have a strong character arc for the main character and/or a strong set of conflicts (internal and external) that need to be resolved by the end of the story. If you don't know your beginning, middle, and end states (for both plot and character,) it's hard to write a cohesive and compelling story. 2) Don't force yourself to write a novel-length work. Write one-shots, short stories, chat stories, fan fiction, or story bibles for the ideas that intrigue you. A lot of writers stall under the external pressure to produce a 50,000+ word story in a conventional format instead of exploring the characters, conflicts, and concepts that got them interested in the idea in the first place. 3) Keep writing (whatever you can write--see #2 above) so that you get a sense of how you write best. It took me a long time to realize that I'm a dialogue-person. And until I can hear my characters speaking to each other in my head, my story isn't going anywhere--even if I love the story concept and the characters themselves. My true creativity doesn't cut loose until my characters find their voices and start talking, teasing, misleading, seducing, and fighting with each other. That's when they come alive. So now, I usually start with the dialogue and fill in the rest once I've gotten momentum. I think if you let go of all the expectations around how and what you should write, and just give yourself the freedom to explore characters, worlds, and ideas in any format and in any way they come to you and then just leave it at that, you'll make much more progress towards your goal because you'll have something organic to build on when you're ready. And don't forget character & conflict! So many stories die on the vine because they don't have challenging and compelling ones. Sorry this is so long, but I hope something in here helps. And if you keep at it, you'll eventually figure out what kind of writer you are.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

isf7vb4

iweqhz3

Just start writing and only write what interests you.

I empathize with your plight. I have so many story ideas that I know, from my story development and editing experience, are really good ones as far as characters, themes, and story hooks. But I haven't gotten past the barest of outlines or random notes for any of them. On the other hand, I have two stories that just sort of poured out of me. They're both very unconventional so they haven't racked up millions of reads, but both have won Watty awards so I know they have some merit and appeal. It's different for everyone and mostly a case of trial and error, but I can tell you what helped me after years of struggling to finish a story. 1) I find that when writers have a story idea they really like but no story that compels them to write it, it's because they don't have a strong character arc for the main character and/or a strong set of conflicts (internal and external) that need to be resolved by the end of the story. If you don't know your beginning, middle, and end states (for both plot and character,) it's hard to write a cohesive and compelling story. 2) Don't force yourself to write a novel-length work. Write one-shots, short stories, chat stories, fan fiction, or story bibles for the ideas that intrigue you. A lot of writers stall under the external pressure to produce a 50,000+ word story in a conventional format instead of exploring the characters, conflicts, and concepts that got them interested in the idea in the first place. 3) Keep writing (whatever you can write--see #2 above) so that you get a sense of how you write best. It took me a long time to realize that I'm a dialogue-person. And until I can hear my characters speaking to each other in my head, my story isn't going anywhere--even if I love the story concept and the characters themselves. My true creativity doesn't cut loose until my characters find their voices and start talking, teasing, misleading, seducing, and fighting with each other. That's when they come alive. So now, I usually start with the dialogue and fill in the rest once I've gotten momentum. I think if you let go of all the expectations around how and what you should write, and just give yourself the freedom to explore characters, worlds, and ideas in any format and in any way they come to you and then just leave it at that, you'll make much more progress towards your goal because you'll have something organic to build on when you're ready. And don't forget character & conflict! So many stories die on the vine because they don't have challenging and compelling ones. Sorry this is so long, but I hope something in here helps. And if you keep at it, you'll eventually figure out what kind of writer you are.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

iweqhz3

isffj9j

I empathize with your plight. I have so many story ideas that I know, from my story development and editing experience, are really good ones as far as characters, themes, and story hooks. But I haven't gotten past the barest of outlines or random notes for any of them. On the other hand, I have two stories that just sort of poured out of me. They're both very unconventional so they haven't racked up millions of reads, but both have won Watty awards so I know they have some merit and appeal. It's different for everyone and mostly a case of trial and error, but I can tell you what helped me after years of struggling to finish a story. 1) I find that when writers have a story idea they really like but no story that compels them to write it, it's because they don't have a strong character arc for the main character and/or a strong set of conflicts (internal and external) that need to be resolved by the end of the story. If you don't know your beginning, middle, and end states (for both plot and character,) it's hard to write a cohesive and compelling story. 2) Don't force yourself to write a novel-length work. Write one-shots, short stories, chat stories, fan fiction, or story bibles for the ideas that intrigue you. A lot of writers stall under the external pressure to produce a 50,000+ word story in a conventional format instead of exploring the characters, conflicts, and concepts that got them interested in the idea in the first place. 3) Keep writing (whatever you can write--see #2 above) so that you get a sense of how you write best. It took me a long time to realize that I'm a dialogue-person. And until I can hear my characters speaking to each other in my head, my story isn't going anywhere--even if I love the story concept and the characters themselves. My true creativity doesn't cut loose until my characters find their voices and start talking, teasing, misleading, seducing, and fighting with each other. That's when they come alive. So now, I usually start with the dialogue and fill in the rest once I've gotten momentum. I think if you let go of all the expectations around how and what you should write, and just give yourself the freedom to explore characters, worlds, and ideas in any format and in any way they come to you and then just leave it at that, you'll make much more progress towards your goal because you'll have something organic to build on when you're ready. And don't forget character & conflict! So many stories die on the vine because they don't have challenging and compelling ones. Sorry this is so long, but I hope something in here helps. And if you keep at it, you'll eventually figure out what kind of writer you are.

Well what's a story that you've always wanted to tell or somebody to tell? Most of my story ideas are from media I enjoy but wish they told a different story with or stories I wish there were more of. For example, a few of mine have the protag end up alone at the end. Being a solo person myself, not many stories have a person who is happily single at the end.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

isfgedc

iweqhz3

Best advice I can give - write what you need. When you were 10, what story did you need to hear? When you were 14, what story did you need to hear? What about now, what story do you need to be out there? I'm not talking about an adventure story, or a sci-fi drama. I'm talking about the actual story. Did you need a story about a disabled girl who isn't magically "cured" at the end? Or a story about the unwanted "college accident" kid making a new family for himself and standing up to his parents? Did you need a story about an autistic character that isn't the obnoxious stereotyped Sheldon Cooper? Write what you need.

I empathize with your plight. I have so many story ideas that I know, from my story development and editing experience, are really good ones as far as characters, themes, and story hooks. But I haven't gotten past the barest of outlines or random notes for any of them. On the other hand, I have two stories that just sort of poured out of me. They're both very unconventional so they haven't racked up millions of reads, but both have won Watty awards so I know they have some merit and appeal. It's different for everyone and mostly a case of trial and error, but I can tell you what helped me after years of struggling to finish a story. 1) I find that when writers have a story idea they really like but no story that compels them to write it, it's because they don't have a strong character arc for the main character and/or a strong set of conflicts (internal and external) that need to be resolved by the end of the story. If you don't know your beginning, middle, and end states (for both plot and character,) it's hard to write a cohesive and compelling story. 2) Don't force yourself to write a novel-length work. Write one-shots, short stories, chat stories, fan fiction, or story bibles for the ideas that intrigue you. A lot of writers stall under the external pressure to produce a 50,000+ word story in a conventional format instead of exploring the characters, conflicts, and concepts that got them interested in the idea in the first place. 3) Keep writing (whatever you can write--see #2 above) so that you get a sense of how you write best. It took me a long time to realize that I'm a dialogue-person. And until I can hear my characters speaking to each other in my head, my story isn't going anywhere--even if I love the story concept and the characters themselves. My true creativity doesn't cut loose until my characters find their voices and start talking, teasing, misleading, seducing, and fighting with each other. That's when they come alive. So now, I usually start with the dialogue and fill in the rest once I've gotten momentum. I think if you let go of all the expectations around how and what you should write, and just give yourself the freedom to explore characters, worlds, and ideas in any format and in any way they come to you and then just leave it at that, you'll make much more progress towards your goal because you'll have something organic to build on when you're ready. And don't forget character & conflict! So many stories die on the vine because they don't have challenging and compelling ones. Sorry this is so long, but I hope something in here helps. And if you keep at it, you'll eventually figure out what kind of writer you are.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

isgdiw3

iweqhz3

Try imagining your characters in some setting doing things you think are: funny, sad, exciting…something. Eventually a story will work it’s way into your head. Good luck!

I empathize with your plight. I have so many story ideas that I know, from my story development and editing experience, are really good ones as far as characters, themes, and story hooks. But I haven't gotten past the barest of outlines or random notes for any of them. On the other hand, I have two stories that just sort of poured out of me. They're both very unconventional so they haven't racked up millions of reads, but both have won Watty awards so I know they have some merit and appeal. It's different for everyone and mostly a case of trial and error, but I can tell you what helped me after years of struggling to finish a story. 1) I find that when writers have a story idea they really like but no story that compels them to write it, it's because they don't have a strong character arc for the main character and/or a strong set of conflicts (internal and external) that need to be resolved by the end of the story. If you don't know your beginning, middle, and end states (for both plot and character,) it's hard to write a cohesive and compelling story. 2) Don't force yourself to write a novel-length work. Write one-shots, short stories, chat stories, fan fiction, or story bibles for the ideas that intrigue you. A lot of writers stall under the external pressure to produce a 50,000+ word story in a conventional format instead of exploring the characters, conflicts, and concepts that got them interested in the idea in the first place. 3) Keep writing (whatever you can write--see #2 above) so that you get a sense of how you write best. It took me a long time to realize that I'm a dialogue-person. And until I can hear my characters speaking to each other in my head, my story isn't going anywhere--even if I love the story concept and the characters themselves. My true creativity doesn't cut loose until my characters find their voices and start talking, teasing, misleading, seducing, and fighting with each other. That's when they come alive. So now, I usually start with the dialogue and fill in the rest once I've gotten momentum. I think if you let go of all the expectations around how and what you should write, and just give yourself the freedom to explore characters, worlds, and ideas in any format and in any way they come to you and then just leave it at that, you'll make much more progress towards your goal because you'll have something organic to build on when you're ready. And don't forget character & conflict! So many stories die on the vine because they don't have challenging and compelling ones. Sorry this is so long, but I hope something in here helps. And if you keep at it, you'll eventually figure out what kind of writer you are.

y4gcsi

writing_train

What Can I Do to Create a Story That Speaks to Me? Out of all the hardships of writing you'd think coming up with a story you wanna write would be one of the easiest parts...however, it's not for me. You see, I'm having trouble coming up with a story I want to write. However, even though I have a lot of ideas I've jotted down, worldbuilding elements I would love to include in a story, and characters I would love to write...I can't seem to create a story out of them. Be it a scene or short story, while I have the desire to write something I lack the ability to come up with something to write. It's frustrating to be honest. I've read (and am reading) books in genres I want to write, read up on how to plan stories and character writing. But I'm lost. To summarize: it's not that I don't have story ideas, it's just that the story ideas I've come up with don't connect with me as something I'd really enjoy writing. At this point I think it's a matter of writing them anyway and hoping that I'll end up loving it along the way. Any advice?

iweqhz3

isi1e89

I empathize with your plight. I have so many story ideas that I know, from my story development and editing experience, are really good ones as far as characters, themes, and story hooks. But I haven't gotten past the barest of outlines or random notes for any of them. On the other hand, I have two stories that just sort of poured out of me. They're both very unconventional so they haven't racked up millions of reads, but both have won Watty awards so I know they have some merit and appeal. It's different for everyone and mostly a case of trial and error, but I can tell you what helped me after years of struggling to finish a story. 1) I find that when writers have a story idea they really like but no story that compels them to write it, it's because they don't have a strong character arc for the main character and/or a strong set of conflicts (internal and external) that need to be resolved by the end of the story. If you don't know your beginning, middle, and end states (for both plot and character,) it's hard to write a cohesive and compelling story. 2) Don't force yourself to write a novel-length work. Write one-shots, short stories, chat stories, fan fiction, or story bibles for the ideas that intrigue you. A lot of writers stall under the external pressure to produce a 50,000+ word story in a conventional format instead of exploring the characters, conflicts, and concepts that got them interested in the idea in the first place. 3) Keep writing (whatever you can write--see #2 above) so that you get a sense of how you write best. It took me a long time to realize that I'm a dialogue-person. And until I can hear my characters speaking to each other in my head, my story isn't going anywhere--even if I love the story concept and the characters themselves. My true creativity doesn't cut loose until my characters find their voices and start talking, teasing, misleading, seducing, and fighting with each other. That's when they come alive. So now, I usually start with the dialogue and fill in the rest once I've gotten momentum. I think if you let go of all the expectations around how and what you should write, and just give yourself the freedom to explore characters, worlds, and ideas in any format and in any way they come to you and then just leave it at that, you'll make much more progress towards your goal because you'll have something organic to build on when you're ready. And don't forget character & conflict! So many stories die on the vine because they don't have challenging and compelling ones. Sorry this is so long, but I hope something in here helps. And if you keep at it, you'll eventually figure out what kind of writer you are.

write what you like! doesn't matter how amateurish it is. if it's some romance trope, write it. if it's a cringy crossover...i mean, nobody will see it, and ngl i kinda like cringy crossovers too. if it's fanfiction, write it. if it's an incredibly detailed literary fiction novel, write it. i think you can also take inspiration from your real life: you watch a tv show and you like this really really specific thing, so you put it in a different context (just make sure it's not plagiarism lol). you have a character dynamic you really like from a book you read, so write it. you went to a movie theater recently, so you'll put your character in a movie theater. what types of books do you read? what things do you like and dislike about them? also, if you're a visual person, i recommend pinterest and creating boards for your stories/character. i'm a big character person so i have a board for some characters and it keeps me motivated ngl

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihc1q0c

ihc03r6

There's a term called "in medias res" Start the story in the middle. You can allude to the characters past as you write it. "She swung her glinting sword with the dexterous precision her master had taught, landing a critical blow in the most opportune moment. The enemy had fallen before her. The blade just shaving the peach fuzz from her weary face, she nearly wore a second adornment of scar as make-up." Then go from there. Don't info dump, but you can give a little detail about the first scar, who(or what) it was from, and how she had learned to apply it in her current situation. Describe a little of where she is, where she is going, and that would explain why she was tired and had peach fuzz. (Assuming your character cares to shave it, in the first place. If not you can make a comment on that.) Or just start with her waking up feeling bored of a normal life, which would set the promise that she will soon be thrust into adventure.

Sometimes it is best to write the opening for the story after you have the rest worked out. Just start writing scenes. They don't have to be in order to start. You can rearrange them later. That is the beauty of working with a word processor. If you are hand printing, keep each section on separate pages so you can arrange them later.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihc2wvc

ihc03r6

Start it in the middle of your Mc making a foolish choice. Let me grab some popcorn.

Sometimes it is best to write the opening for the story after you have the rest worked out. Just start writing scenes. They don't have to be in order to start. You can rearrange them later. That is the beauty of working with a word processor. If you are hand printing, keep each section on separate pages so you can arrange them later.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihc6gst

ihc4ltl

Just write. Put in a placeholder start if you need to, then come back to it later as you have more story written out. Then you can build a beginning that introduces the ideas you develop later on without having to already know everything from scratch.

Be in the shoes of the main or one of the main characters. Give us who they are, why we should care about them, and what their goal is. Give us a sense of the atmosphere and a choice they will make.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihco3n1

ihcbful

There are various ways to start a story. You can start with Dialogue that mirrors the main story conflict. You can start with a statement that captures the themes or the essence of the story. (Pride and Prejudice) A line that provides a simple summary of the story. (The Gunslinger - Dark Tower #1) You can capture the protagonists strongest desire with your opening. (Lolita) You can start with a short description that captures the most relevant characteristics of the protagonist. (What makes Sammy run.) Then of course, you can start with action.

Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Kress

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihc4ltl

ihco3n1

Be in the shoes of the main or one of the main characters. Give us who they are, why we should care about them, and what their goal is. Give us a sense of the atmosphere and a choice they will make.

There are various ways to start a story. You can start with Dialogue that mirrors the main story conflict. You can start with a statement that captures the themes or the essence of the story. (Pride and Prejudice) A line that provides a simple summary of the story. (The Gunslinger - Dark Tower #1) You can capture the protagonists strongest desire with your opening. (Lolita) You can start with a short description that captures the most relevant characteristics of the protagonist. (What makes Sammy run.) Then of course, you can start with action.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihco3n1

ihc7tu5

There are various ways to start a story. You can start with Dialogue that mirrors the main story conflict. You can start with a statement that captures the themes or the essence of the story. (Pride and Prejudice) A line that provides a simple summary of the story. (The Gunslinger - Dark Tower #1) You can capture the protagonists strongest desire with your opening. (Lolita) You can start with a short description that captures the most relevant characteristics of the protagonist. (What makes Sammy run.) Then of course, you can start with action.

You start at the beginning of the story, putting one word after another. It might help to read some books, and ask yourself questions related to the writing process.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihc8xpf

ihco3n1

Start with something surprising and out of the ordinary.

There are various ways to start a story. You can start with Dialogue that mirrors the main story conflict. You can start with a statement that captures the themes or the essence of the story. (Pride and Prejudice) A line that provides a simple summary of the story. (The Gunslinger - Dark Tower #1) You can capture the protagonists strongest desire with your opening. (Lolita) You can start with a short description that captures the most relevant characteristics of the protagonist. (What makes Sammy run.) Then of course, you can start with action.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihco3n1

ihckp9x

There are various ways to start a story. You can start with Dialogue that mirrors the main story conflict. You can start with a statement that captures the themes or the essence of the story. (Pride and Prejudice) A line that provides a simple summary of the story. (The Gunslinger - Dark Tower #1) You can capture the protagonists strongest desire with your opening. (Lolita) You can start with a short description that captures the most relevant characteristics of the protagonist. (What makes Sammy run.) Then of course, you can start with action.

It’s a new muscle. It’s gonna feel weird

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihc4ltl

ihcbful

Be in the shoes of the main or one of the main characters. Give us who they are, why we should care about them, and what their goal is. Give us a sense of the atmosphere and a choice they will make.

Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Kress

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihc7tu5

ihcbful

You start at the beginning of the story, putting one word after another. It might help to read some books, and ask yourself questions related to the writing process.

Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Kress

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihcbful

ihc8xpf

Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Kress

Start with something surprising and out of the ordinary.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihc4ltl

ihd0p6u

Be in the shoes of the main or one of the main characters. Give us who they are, why we should care about them, and what their goal is. Give us a sense of the atmosphere and a choice they will make.

start where something interesting happens, and your character is FORCED to do take action. the bad guy breaks into her office and attacks her. the sheriff's department serves legal papers for eviction. the boss fires your main character from their job. your hero survives an airplane crash ... anything like this is a good place to start, because it thrusts your hero into the middle of a dilemma and they're forced to fight their way out and take specific actions. *in media res* doesn't necessarily mean 'starting in the middle of an action scene'. it just means starting in the middle of something that's already going. the sheriff serves eviction papers? there's obviously some background to that, but you don't need to start with all the legal details. the plane crashes? you don't need to start with the mechanic failing to do all the safety checks ... that info can come later. Hamlet starts after the death of Hamlet's father ... but the death is a critical part of the overall story.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihd0p6u

ihc7tu5

start where something interesting happens, and your character is FORCED to do take action. the bad guy breaks into her office and attacks her. the sheriff's department serves legal papers for eviction. the boss fires your main character from their job. your hero survives an airplane crash ... anything like this is a good place to start, because it thrusts your hero into the middle of a dilemma and they're forced to fight their way out and take specific actions. *in media res* doesn't necessarily mean 'starting in the middle of an action scene'. it just means starting in the middle of something that's already going. the sheriff serves eviction papers? there's obviously some background to that, but you don't need to start with all the legal details. the plane crashes? you don't need to start with the mechanic failing to do all the safety checks ... that info can come later. Hamlet starts after the death of Hamlet's father ... but the death is a critical part of the overall story.

You start at the beginning of the story, putting one word after another. It might help to read some books, and ask yourself questions related to the writing process.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihd0p6u

ihc8xpf

start where something interesting happens, and your character is FORCED to do take action. the bad guy breaks into her office and attacks her. the sheriff's department serves legal papers for eviction. the boss fires your main character from their job. your hero survives an airplane crash ... anything like this is a good place to start, because it thrusts your hero into the middle of a dilemma and they're forced to fight their way out and take specific actions. *in media res* doesn't necessarily mean 'starting in the middle of an action scene'. it just means starting in the middle of something that's already going. the sheriff serves eviction papers? there's obviously some background to that, but you don't need to start with all the legal details. the plane crashes? you don't need to start with the mechanic failing to do all the safety checks ... that info can come later. Hamlet starts after the death of Hamlet's father ... but the death is a critical part of the overall story.

Start with something surprising and out of the ordinary.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihckp9x

ihd0p6u

It’s a new muscle. It’s gonna feel weird

start where something interesting happens, and your character is FORCED to do take action. the bad guy breaks into her office and attacks her. the sheriff's department serves legal papers for eviction. the boss fires your main character from their job. your hero survives an airplane crash ... anything like this is a good place to start, because it thrusts your hero into the middle of a dilemma and they're forced to fight their way out and take specific actions. *in media res* doesn't necessarily mean 'starting in the middle of an action scene'. it just means starting in the middle of something that's already going. the sheriff serves eviction papers? there's obviously some background to that, but you don't need to start with all the legal details. the plane crashes? you don't need to start with the mechanic failing to do all the safety checks ... that info can come later. Hamlet starts after the death of Hamlet's father ... but the death is a critical part of the overall story.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihd0p6u

ihcr8kf

start where something interesting happens, and your character is FORCED to do take action. the bad guy breaks into her office and attacks her. the sheriff's department serves legal papers for eviction. the boss fires your main character from their job. your hero survives an airplane crash ... anything like this is a good place to start, because it thrusts your hero into the middle of a dilemma and they're forced to fight their way out and take specific actions. *in media res* doesn't necessarily mean 'starting in the middle of an action scene'. it just means starting in the middle of something that's already going. the sheriff serves eviction papers? there's obviously some background to that, but you don't need to start with all the legal details. the plane crashes? you don't need to start with the mechanic failing to do all the safety checks ... that info can come later. Hamlet starts after the death of Hamlet's father ... but the death is a critical part of the overall story.

Honestly you can always start the story earlier in the timeline and then delete stuff later.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihd0p6u

ihcvt1m

start where something interesting happens, and your character is FORCED to do take action. the bad guy breaks into her office and attacks her. the sheriff's department serves legal papers for eviction. the boss fires your main character from their job. your hero survives an airplane crash ... anything like this is a good place to start, because it thrusts your hero into the middle of a dilemma and they're forced to fight their way out and take specific actions. *in media res* doesn't necessarily mean 'starting in the middle of an action scene'. it just means starting in the middle of something that's already going. the sheriff serves eviction papers? there's obviously some background to that, but you don't need to start with all the legal details. the plane crashes? you don't need to start with the mechanic failing to do all the safety checks ... that info can come later. Hamlet starts after the death of Hamlet's father ... but the death is a critical part of the overall story.

Pick up some of your favorite novels and see how they did it :)

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihd0p6u

ihcwsym

start where something interesting happens, and your character is FORCED to do take action. the bad guy breaks into her office and attacks her. the sheriff's department serves legal papers for eviction. the boss fires your main character from their job. your hero survives an airplane crash ... anything like this is a good place to start, because it thrusts your hero into the middle of a dilemma and they're forced to fight their way out and take specific actions. *in media res* doesn't necessarily mean 'starting in the middle of an action scene'. it just means starting in the middle of something that's already going. the sheriff serves eviction papers? there's obviously some background to that, but you don't need to start with all the legal details. the plane crashes? you don't need to start with the mechanic failing to do all the safety checks ... that info can come later. Hamlet starts after the death of Hamlet's father ... but the death is a critical part of the overall story.

peppy dialogue that immediately throws the reader into your world and makes you understand who and what the hell will be doing here. at least approximately. just fling the reader into your reality

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihd57k4

ihc4ltl

Do you have characters? Because if you are unsure where to begin, you can always begin by focusing on a character. If the character refuses to do something mildly interesting, unleash ninjas upon them. 'Suddenly, ninjas leapt from the bushes' isn't the worst start to a story you will hear posted here today.

Be in the shoes of the main or one of the main characters. Give us who they are, why we should care about them, and what their goal is. Give us a sense of the atmosphere and a choice they will make.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihc7tu5

ihd57k4

You start at the beginning of the story, putting one word after another. It might help to read some books, and ask yourself questions related to the writing process.

Do you have characters? Because if you are unsure where to begin, you can always begin by focusing on a character. If the character refuses to do something mildly interesting, unleash ninjas upon them. 'Suddenly, ninjas leapt from the bushes' isn't the worst start to a story you will hear posted here today.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihd57k4

ihc8xpf

Do you have characters? Because if you are unsure where to begin, you can always begin by focusing on a character. If the character refuses to do something mildly interesting, unleash ninjas upon them. 'Suddenly, ninjas leapt from the bushes' isn't the worst start to a story you will hear posted here today.

Start with something surprising and out of the ordinary.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihd57k4

ihckp9x

Do you have characters? Because if you are unsure where to begin, you can always begin by focusing on a character. If the character refuses to do something mildly interesting, unleash ninjas upon them. 'Suddenly, ninjas leapt from the bushes' isn't the worst start to a story you will hear posted here today.

It’s a new muscle. It’s gonna feel weird

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihcr8kf

ihd57k4

Honestly you can always start the story earlier in the timeline and then delete stuff later.

Do you have characters? Because if you are unsure where to begin, you can always begin by focusing on a character. If the character refuses to do something mildly interesting, unleash ninjas upon them. 'Suddenly, ninjas leapt from the bushes' isn't the worst start to a story you will hear posted here today.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihcvt1m

ihd57k4

Pick up some of your favorite novels and see how they did it :)

Do you have characters? Because if you are unsure where to begin, you can always begin by focusing on a character. If the character refuses to do something mildly interesting, unleash ninjas upon them. 'Suddenly, ninjas leapt from the bushes' isn't the worst start to a story you will hear posted here today.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihcwsym

ihd57k4

peppy dialogue that immediately throws the reader into your world and makes you understand who and what the hell will be doing here. at least approximately. just fling the reader into your reality

Do you have characters? Because if you are unsure where to begin, you can always begin by focusing on a character. If the character refuses to do something mildly interesting, unleash ninjas upon them. 'Suddenly, ninjas leapt from the bushes' isn't the worst start to a story you will hear posted here today.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihdbttm

ihc4ltl

I like to start in the middle of a story or from a third person point of view of other characters perspectives rather than start right where the protag is. In one of my stories I start off from the perspective of a different character never seen before to sort of show some background of them before hopping over to the protag, and in another I do a third person perspective to show the viewer some things that they wouldn’t have seen otherwise if I just stayed to my protags perspective the whole story.

Be in the shoes of the main or one of the main characters. Give us who they are, why we should care about them, and what their goal is. Give us a sense of the atmosphere and a choice they will make.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihc7tu5

ihdbttm

You start at the beginning of the story, putting one word after another. It might help to read some books, and ask yourself questions related to the writing process.

I like to start in the middle of a story or from a third person point of view of other characters perspectives rather than start right where the protag is. In one of my stories I start off from the perspective of a different character never seen before to sort of show some background of them before hopping over to the protag, and in another I do a third person perspective to show the viewer some things that they wouldn’t have seen otherwise if I just stayed to my protags perspective the whole story.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihc8xpf

ihdbttm

Start with something surprising and out of the ordinary.

I like to start in the middle of a story or from a third person point of view of other characters perspectives rather than start right where the protag is. In one of my stories I start off from the perspective of a different character never seen before to sort of show some background of them before hopping over to the protag, and in another I do a third person perspective to show the viewer some things that they wouldn’t have seen otherwise if I just stayed to my protags perspective the whole story.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihdbttm

ihckp9x

I like to start in the middle of a story or from a third person point of view of other characters perspectives rather than start right where the protag is. In one of my stories I start off from the perspective of a different character never seen before to sort of show some background of them before hopping over to the protag, and in another I do a third person perspective to show the viewer some things that they wouldn’t have seen otherwise if I just stayed to my protags perspective the whole story.

It’s a new muscle. It’s gonna feel weird

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihcr8kf

ihdbttm

Honestly you can always start the story earlier in the timeline and then delete stuff later.

I like to start in the middle of a story or from a third person point of view of other characters perspectives rather than start right where the protag is. In one of my stories I start off from the perspective of a different character never seen before to sort of show some background of them before hopping over to the protag, and in another I do a third person perspective to show the viewer some things that they wouldn’t have seen otherwise if I just stayed to my protags perspective the whole story.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihcvt1m

ihdbttm

Pick up some of your favorite novels and see how they did it :)

I like to start in the middle of a story or from a third person point of view of other characters perspectives rather than start right where the protag is. In one of my stories I start off from the perspective of a different character never seen before to sort of show some background of them before hopping over to the protag, and in another I do a third person perspective to show the viewer some things that they wouldn’t have seen otherwise if I just stayed to my protags perspective the whole story.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihcwsym

ihdbttm

peppy dialogue that immediately throws the reader into your world and makes you understand who and what the hell will be doing here. at least approximately. just fling the reader into your reality

I like to start in the middle of a story or from a third person point of view of other characters perspectives rather than start right where the protag is. In one of my stories I start off from the perspective of a different character never seen before to sort of show some background of them before hopping over to the protag, and in another I do a third person perspective to show the viewer some things that they wouldn’t have seen otherwise if I just stayed to my protags perspective the whole story.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihd5u16

ihdbttm

Try looking for a good theme, theory, message, or moral you want to convey. Excellent stories always have something to say — a point to make, a statement to make, that sort of thing. Or be like countless sci-fi writers and ask yourself a real humdinger of a “What if…?” question. Then build a story plot line and characters around that. It may not be much and it might not be new advice, but doing that sort of thing will yield some surprising results. Bonne chance!

I like to start in the middle of a story or from a third person point of view of other characters perspectives rather than start right where the protag is. In one of my stories I start off from the perspective of a different character never seen before to sort of show some background of them before hopping over to the protag, and in another I do a third person perspective to show the viewer some things that they wouldn’t have seen otherwise if I just stayed to my protags perspective the whole story.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihe0oy0

ihc4ltl

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

Be in the shoes of the main or one of the main characters. Give us who they are, why we should care about them, and what their goal is. Give us a sense of the atmosphere and a choice they will make.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihe0oy0

ihc7tu5

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

You start at the beginning of the story, putting one word after another. It might help to read some books, and ask yourself questions related to the writing process.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihe0oy0

ihc8xpf

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

Start with something surprising and out of the ordinary.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihe0oy0

ihckp9x

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

It’s a new muscle. It’s gonna feel weird

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihcr8kf

ihe0oy0

Honestly you can always start the story earlier in the timeline and then delete stuff later.

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihcvt1m

ihe0oy0

Pick up some of your favorite novels and see how they did it :)

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihe0oy0

ihcwsym

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

peppy dialogue that immediately throws the reader into your world and makes you understand who and what the hell will be doing here. at least approximately. just fling the reader into your reality

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihe0oy0

ihddayc

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

It was a dark and stormy night.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihe0oy0

ihdf44q

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

No shit there I was when all of sudden. No one was more surprised than I when. In the beginning the demons ruled the darkness..... There came a man or woman dressed in black. The robes were hung loosely and blood red.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihdh1u2

ihe0oy0

Choose a place, put a character in it, give them a goal, put something thats stepping them from achieving it

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihe0oy0

ihdsqfb

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

Start with a change. An interaction, an accomplishment, a failure, the world ends, the world begins, someone dies or is born, marriage proposal or funeral or election. Whatever it is, the characters world will not be the same again.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihdvi11

ihe0oy0

I like writing stories at the very end and go from there. Creating an end point then I write leading towards the ending of the book. It worked for me when I got to self publish my very first novel.

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihe0oy0

ihdzl8a

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

I almost always end up changing the start of my story later. Write whatever you think of now and see where it takes you. Once you get in the rhythm of writing your story, you can probably cut off the "disingenuous" beginning and find where your story really starts. But I wouldn't focus on having a perfect start before you've gotten your story down

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihd5u16

ihe0oy0

Try looking for a good theme, theory, message, or moral you want to convey. Excellent stories always have something to say — a point to make, a statement to make, that sort of thing. Or be like countless sci-fi writers and ask yourself a real humdinger of a “What if…?” question. Then build a story plot line and characters around that. It may not be much and it might not be new advice, but doing that sort of thing will yield some surprising results. Bonne chance!

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihdx4a6

ihe0oy0

I hope this helps but I feel like there are a few things you can do, I completely understand this feeling and I get it all the time with new stories that aren't coming to me as easily as before. I do a few things. * I'm very visually inspired so I have a whole Pinterest dedicated to photos, art, and drawings that inspire me. I always say to myself "if a picture is worth a thousand words I want to be the one who writes them" so I use these pictures to help me feel inspired in my stories, they help me brainstorm who the character is, what they look like, what the world looks like, what a specific scene looks like, etc. * I have this thing that I call "guilty pleasure writing". It's kind of the writing I would never show anyone because it's really cheesy/ bad and/or full of ideas that are overused. I used to be a big fan of the werewolf genre when I was younger, and the genre itself is full of a lot of themes that I absolutely love (aside from the weird we're mates and I have taken you thing) Its got romance, action, and it questions a person's innate characteristics, but I love it and for some reason, I can always write these stories and never stop. So when I'm uninspired while writing my new dystopian fantasy with clone debates and human genetic discoveries... I circle back to werewolves to inspire myself again lol

Just skip the start if it's giving you problems. Skip ahead to a part where you know what's happening. The goal is to get your story on paper FIRST. Refine it later. That's how pretty much ALL writers do it. >I don't know how I'm going to start this, but I know a little bit into the story, my hero, Penelope Nonsense is going to be having an argument with her boyfriend, and it'll go like this: > >"I do NOT just spend all your money on clothes! I spend it on handbags too!" > >And he'll say... And just keep working on it from that point. What you're doing is breaking the ice. Dipping your toe in the water. It might sound silly, but it DOES actually work. Just keep writing from that point and forget that beginning. If you write an entire story, you will be a better writer by the time you get finished. Then you will be more qualified to go back and write the beginning. The important thing is to just get writing and get your story on paper. No matter how awful, once you finish, you have a tangible thing in the physical world that can be worked with and improved.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihd5u16

ihddayc

Try looking for a good theme, theory, message, or moral you want to convey. Excellent stories always have something to say — a point to make, a statement to make, that sort of thing. Or be like countless sci-fi writers and ask yourself a real humdinger of a “What if…?” question. Then build a story plot line and characters around that. It may not be much and it might not be new advice, but doing that sort of thing will yield some surprising results. Bonne chance!

It was a dark and stormy night.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihd5u16

ihdf44q

Try looking for a good theme, theory, message, or moral you want to convey. Excellent stories always have something to say — a point to make, a statement to make, that sort of thing. Or be like countless sci-fi writers and ask yourself a real humdinger of a “What if…?” question. Then build a story plot line and characters around that. It may not be much and it might not be new advice, but doing that sort of thing will yield some surprising results. Bonne chance!

No shit there I was when all of sudden. No one was more surprised than I when. In the beginning the demons ruled the darkness..... There came a man or woman dressed in black. The robes were hung loosely and blood red.

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihd5u16

ihdh1u2

Try looking for a good theme, theory, message, or moral you want to convey. Excellent stories always have something to say — a point to make, a statement to make, that sort of thing. Or be like countless sci-fi writers and ask yourself a real humdinger of a “What if…?” question. Then build a story plot line and characters around that. It may not be much and it might not be new advice, but doing that sort of thing will yield some surprising results. Bonne chance!

Choose a place, put a character in it, give them a goal, put something thats stepping them from achieving it

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihdsqfb

ihd5u16

Start with a change. An interaction, an accomplishment, a failure, the world ends, the world begins, someone dies or is born, marriage proposal or funeral or election. Whatever it is, the characters world will not be the same again.

Try looking for a good theme, theory, message, or moral you want to convey. Excellent stories always have something to say — a point to make, a statement to make, that sort of thing. Or be like countless sci-fi writers and ask yourself a real humdinger of a “What if…?” question. Then build a story plot line and characters around that. It may not be much and it might not be new advice, but doing that sort of thing will yield some surprising results. Bonne chance!

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihdvi11

ihd5u16

I like writing stories at the very end and go from there. Creating an end point then I write leading towards the ending of the book. It worked for me when I got to self publish my very first novel.

Try looking for a good theme, theory, message, or moral you want to convey. Excellent stories always have something to say — a point to make, a statement to make, that sort of thing. Or be like countless sci-fi writers and ask yourself a real humdinger of a “What if…?” question. Then build a story plot line and characters around that. It may not be much and it might not be new advice, but doing that sort of thing will yield some surprising results. Bonne chance!

w66oaf

writing_train

I'm not really sure how to start a story I have tried a few things and different attempts and I always feel frustrated or disingenuous. Is there any advice from more seasoned/veteran writers that may help?

ihdzl8a

ihd5u16

I almost always end up changing the start of my story later. Write whatever you think of now and see where it takes you. Once you get in the rhythm of writing your story, you can probably cut off the "disingenuous" beginning and find where your story really starts. But I wouldn't focus on having a perfect start before you've gotten your story down

Try looking for a good theme, theory, message, or moral you want to convey. Excellent stories always have something to say — a point to make, a statement to make, that sort of thing. Or be like countless sci-fi writers and ask yourself a real humdinger of a “What if…?” question. Then build a story plot line and characters around that. It may not be much and it might not be new advice, but doing that sort of thing will yield some surprising results. Bonne chance!