Any Fiction Writers Here?

[thefinker]

For a long time, i've felt a creative absence that i have tried to fill in the past but have lost interest. I was good at art at school, so i started drawing again, drawing from photos of people i admired (or jerked about lol) but the number of hours just to do one drawing was too demanding and i didn't have the time in the end. I ignited the fact about delving into writing stories fictionally or loosely based on my real life, rather than drawing completely, away from constructing comic strips, where the drawing would just slow me down.

I've also tried graphic banners/sigs but i realised i wasn't very good at it.

I haven't made up any stories yet, but i have ideas, and for once i'm quite excited about the prospect, and getting feedback on them. It's just about making time for them. However i have to admit, i've been motivated externally, as i have received feedback on 2 occasions, from a couple of rants on true aspects of my life elsewhere online, that i should become a writer.

So, does anyone do this or have advice on what makes a good story whether a short one or chaptered one?

[invaderdave]

There's no real secret to what makes a story good. The only think you can do is write; create engaging characters, have snappy, interesting dialogue, try to make everything tie together, be descriptive, but not TOO descriptive (just enough detail). A lot of times, I just put something down on paper and hope for the best.

[Strotha]

I like to write, but I suck ass at it.If you want to read evidence of my extreme ass-suckery, go to www.strotha.webs.com/

Writing isn't really something you can give that much advice for.You can learn how to write, but you can't really teach someone to write.

When I write, it's usually a mix of things I planned out a long time ago and stuff I just pull out of my ass.I write parody, though, which means that my writing is heavily influenced by talented people and their work.It also means I will never be published, but that's fine, I only write for fun.

So my useless advice is just write something and see what happens.

[Dr. Marzvon Zombie M.D.]

i wrote an novel alittle over a year ago, and now just getting to editing it, I didn't realize how much you can get out in writing, my best advice and this is just from one mans journey to getting a novel done, write what you love and are passinate about, don't worry about grammer or spelling, you can always go back when you edit, get the feeling on the paper, then make it make sence.


Here is the name of a kit I used before I started this book, it's called "no plot, no problem" It is kind of like a game for yourself, you have to write 50000 words in a month. It has a calander for your progression and cards to inspire you. I did it and in that month ended up writing 83000 words cause I got so motivated.

I wish ya luck!

[Lick Ness Monster]

I wrote a novel about 18 months ago, and have written a whole bunch of screenplays. All I try to do is just write the stories that I would want to read/see.

[angryfan]

As a writer, I've been more frustrated than anything, but I love it too much to stop. As my old college prof Mike Magnuson used to say, "the secret to writing is the willingness to put your ass in a seat for six hours at a time and just write". Odd, yet it always made sense to me.

Personally, and this may sound slightly isane, but I've always found that the characters I write best are the ones that I don't have to think of, they come to me. I spend hours just doing sketches, trying to work out the intimate details that may never make it in a novel or story. Favorite music or food, unusual hobbies, that sort of thing. I let them tell me, and then I write it.

[OriasPool]

I want to try and write. I have so many ideas and actually just bought a digital voice recorder in order to record ideas when I have them. The most terrible thing for a writer is not to keep notes because you will forget those little details that matter or that wake up in the middle of the night with a great idea only to forget it in the morning because you were too lazy to write it down.

[Hulkshi Tanahashi]

I got a book for Christmas on how to write and publish novels.

[Lick Ness Monster]

Dec 26, 2008 22:25:51 GMT -5 angryfan said:

As a writer, I've been more frustrated than anything, but I love it too much to stop. As my old college prof Mike Magnuson used to say, "the secret to writing is the willingness to put your ass in a seat for six hours at a time and just write". Odd, yet it always made sense to me.

Agreed, and fortunately, that's not something I have a problem with. 99% of writing is just possessing the willpower to say "hey, I have some free time, I need to sit down and write." I always set myself quotas - one chapter a day when doing my novel, and 10 pages per day when doing a screenplay.

[Dave at the Movies]

Writing is fun and I have a bunch of ideas for novels but I'm not sure if I'll ever actually write them or not. It is so hard to get published these days by a good publishing company that it is hard to tell if it is even worth doing all the writing or not.

Lately I have written a lot more material for stand up comedy than anything. I turn 21 in the next six months so I might do a few open mic nights and see where it goes.(In most places you have to be 21 years old to be a comic. they usually don't let anyone under 21 in comedy clubs after 6 PM.)

[Grendel]

Welcome to the fabulous world of writing. It's a fun hobby, and everyone and their mother will give you advice on what to do. I just say, write in a way that you know. If you develop a good style that works for you, stick with that and hone it.

Sometimes I get told that I use some big words, but that's the way I usually talk and I can feel the words flow, so that's what I do. Just find your own thing.

[Ryback on a Pole!]

Im a decent writer, my advice is not to write a long story first. I've started about 5, got so far in and then had another idea and put the one i was doing aside and started afresh.

My computers got no end of unfinished stories saved on it

[Deleted]

Writing is probably my favourite thing in the world. I wish I could do more, but a lot of the time I find myself thinking that I'm an idea man more than a good writer. Thankfully the amount I manage to write and the feedback I get from it tells me otherwise. I think the best advice I can give is to write what you're passionate about, and plan, plan, plan. Nothing stints me worse than not planning properly.