Nov
25th
2013
So, the moment I decide to actually start writing... · 7:23pm Nov 25th, 2013
About six story ideas rush to the forefront of my mind, all deserving equal attention...
Do I start with the new one...
Do I go back and try again with "Vinyl's Refrain..."
Do I start on "Boon of Ages?"
...
HOW DO YOU PEOPLE DECIDE?
There aren't enough sides on a coin to flip for it.
How do I even approach the organization?
I've never even attempted a writing project this large before.
My writing experience is comprised of half-assed essays and roleplays!
I don't even know how to start.
Do I map out the entire thing beforehand?
Do I make it up as I go along?
Wat do?
I'd just wing it, but I'm afraid I won't do the ideas flying through my head any sort of justice.
In other words...
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Runcible Spoon · 358 views
·
I was browsing through your profile because of all the comments you've been leaving me lately (haha) and I came across this.
I know it's already a couple weeks old, but I figure I'd throw in my two cents.
Of course, this is just about my personal style of writing and how I do things, so it might not apply for you or what your want to achieve, but hey. Whatever helps, right?
Writing is about knowing what you want. Every story has to serve a purpose, regardless of what that is. Maybe your story is just a big joke. Maybe your story is light and meant to be just for kicks without any real focus. That's fine too. Maybe your story is more in-depth and thoughtful and focuses more on technicals. That's also cool!
No matter what it is, know what it is you want to do and know the sentiment that you want to tell.
Let's say you have an idea for a story. You'd think it'd be cool. What is the message you want to get across with it? Is it an emotion, an idea, a thought or a principle? Is it just something that you hope people will be excited about (which is also an emotion, by the by), or is it something that you want to make people laugh about? Is it a concept that you want them to think about? Or do you just want to let people get wrapped up in a general mood of adventure and storytelling?
Once you realise this, this is how you start. Crafting a proper story usually means adhering to these principles. The worst stories, or tales that end up flat at the end usually do not follow this motive. Perhaps it's not thinking ahead, or perhaps it's inexperience that causes a change.
Regardless of this, once you understand what your story is FOR and what it is ABOUT, everything else will fall neatly into place because you will not run into troubles in the future about maintaining this tone and the message. And people have this strange knack for knowing when these two things are off.
Remember, the STORY and PLOT are nothing more than devices that carry the meaning of your tale. Plot can CHANGE. Story can CHANGE. Characters can change. But the POINT of the story usually has to remain.
What I do is usually map out the idea of the tale based around this. When I get a solid skeleton, I fill in the details. Along the way, things will always inevitably change due to reasons of logic or what have you. When you need to change details to make things fit, it's only the fact that you know what your story is about that will keep you from writing yourself into corners or unraveling the plot. It's like a beacon in a mist of fog that you're always moving towards. The destination matters more ultimately than which path you choose.
Otherwise, when it comes to the little details, I examine each point along the way of the plot from A to B and then start to decide what scenes I need and why. Each scene needs to have a purpose - a point. It needs to show SOMETHING, be it story progression or characterization or whatever. When I know what each scene is for, then I can write and for that I usually make it up as I go along.
Remember that when you travel from A to B, every scene must naturally flow and be 'logical'. If your skeleton already seems illogical, for example, if you ask questions like "Why is character A doing this for? There's no point!" or "How do I resolve this? I can't!" then there's something you need to fix BEFORE starting the writing process.
It's all like tetris. Everything has to slot together to make a complete block.
Well, that's about the basics from me. I hope this helped, and sorry for rambling on too long! I hope to encourage you to write - everyone ought to try, and not let confusion stop us. Maybe try something shorter first? But at least give it a shot. Writing is a very awesome and cathartic experience, and I love it, so... well! I'm encouraging you. =)
Cheers,
KR
1624676
Thanks for the tips, mate.
I had planned on just doing a few characterization one-shots...
But the only one I have any idea about a the moment is "Vinyl's Refrain."
It's a (friend)shiping fic where Vinyl and Octavia had a falling out a few year's ago and haven't talked since, only to have a chance encounter between the two of them push their lingering regret to the forefront.
And then they either make up, or Octavia severs ties for good.
Haven't decided yet.
1627618
Yeah, you could decide the ending by seeing what sort of message your story wants to tell, you see?
For example, if they make up, a possible message you're trying to write is the values of tolerance, forgiveness, patience, etc. But if they break up, then the message you're trying to impress is something like 'the harsh bittersweet reality of life', which is more about an emotion. By knowing this, not only do you know what ending you want, but you can also tell what sort of things in your story you ought to focus on and what kind of tone to give it. =)
But either way, whichever you choose, good luck with it!