How do you write?

[Syndrome]

I've realized that I have never ever finished anything I have written. So I turn to you people xD

How do you write? Do you create some kind of story-plan? Do you listen to music or daydream while writing? How do you overcome Writer's Block? How much do you write a day? Where do you get your ideas from?

Just write how you write here :3

 

[Zakyath]

I actually have no idea. I see writing pretty much as laying a puzzle where you don't know how the picture is about to look. You have an idea of it, and just try to find the right pieces. And I never give up until I'm finished.

 

[DM Cross]

I tend to start out with an idea and make up details as I go along. Sometimes this involves me going back and making changes, but I find the changes and overall effect of everything you add is worth the end result to the story.

Corruption was started as a single book where a girl stumbles into a Vampire town, gets found out and has a famous Vampire hired to kill her, but somehow manages to survive because the Vampire decides to be a "good guy".

That idea spawned almost a dozen very in-depth characters, probably half a dozen huge plot twists and somehow created a small following of people who have threatened me with physical harm if I don't continue to write an extra four books that I developed from ONE BASIC IDEA, and get them published.

... Damn writing

 

[Pineapple]

I sit down with my keyboard, and type.

Preferably typing words, and then eventually sentences (gramatically correct ones at that.)

Sooner or later I reach the one paragraph mark, then create another one.

Repeat.

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I listen to music while I write, and I never write without an idea. I work much the same was as Seth, except that unlike Seth, I give up.

 

[Ninva]

o.o

I finish most of the stories I write. I don't publish many. So this is a new issue... Um. Well. I sit down, and I write because I want to and I have time. Now, the latter factor is missing. There's no time left in my schedule. ):

 

[thewrongvine]

I write if I have information and inspiration, and my inspiration is sometimes from information. No I's, no writing. Which is why I always suddenly stop writing for so long... anywhere from a few days to a few months...

~Hai-Bye-Vine~

 

[Syndrome]

Blagh....
I feel like I'm totally influenced by music.
I turn it up and imagine scenes that go with it, the scenes are completely thought out based on the type of music I hear >_>

I'll try what Seth does, which is to my knowledge, writing out on instinct and fixing it up later xD

Maybe I'll try a one-shot to try it out xD -looks at 'The Writer's Challenge' thread-

 

[Krys A Night]

It depends on how I'm writing.

If it's for one of my classes, I just write the first thing that comes to mind for the prompt.

If I'm writing for myself, I have an idea and I brainstorm about it in a notebook before I jump to the computer and start typing stuff out, as I write I brainstorm about what's going to happen.

 

[Genkora]

Well, there are a lot of strategies out there. But there is one thing that is absolute. If you want to write well, you write about what you know. Lets say you are an artist, anything you write about art will be much much better than anything you write about space pirates. Unless of course you are a space pirate or have ever been kidnapped by space pirates. To write about things you don't know, you have to learn them until you do know. So if you want to write about mid-evil warriors, you have to research. Research research research. And I don't mean for a research paper. Now, fantasy is another story. You don't have to research for fantasy or sci-fi (it helps), you just have to write about it for so long that you start to hallucinate fantasy into reality and thus, begin to know it.

So basically, I can write about space pirates, but it won't be a very good story until I have written 100 more stories about space pirates. Or have become a space pirate. Or have become kidnapped by space pirates. Arrr! Avast ye cosmic dogs, there be space booty to be plunderin'!

 

[Sil3nt]

I tend to start out with an idea and make up details as I go along.

This is exactly how I approach writing a story.

Usually ends up with me crashing and burning, though.

 

[Syndrome]

you just have to write about it for so long that you start to hallucinate fantasy into reality and thus, begin to know it.

Constant Day-dreaming = the \/\/1n here? cause i almost always end up zoning out and 'seeing' things xD

 

[Genkora]

Constant Day-dreaming = the \/\/1n here? cause i almost always end up zoning out and 'seeing' things xD

That helps! You should also keep in mind that the story itself, the actual conflict, is far more important than the setting. Stories that are about the future or the past are boring. Stories that happen to take place in said time frames are not.

Star Wars for example. Star Wars is not about the futuristic setting, it just happens to be set in one. The story is what matters, and with a few tweaks, the story could be set in almost any time frame.

The problem that most people have when they write, is they have a far too generalized idea on what they want to write about.

"I want to write about a war in the past."

"Go on."

"Um..."

Once you get to the Um, you will have realized the story is weak. Anytime you have an idea for a story, just tell yourself, "Can anyone legitimately tell me to go on?"

For a story you need conflict, for conflict you need opposing forces. To come up with good opposing forces, use this

Man vs Man vs Nature vs Self vs Society vs Anything

Give me any novel or movie I know, and I can tell you,

Harry Potter, man vs man vs self

Going after Caciatto, man vs nature vs self

Star Wars, man vs man vs nature(the force) vs society(the republic) vs self(Vader/Anakin)

Once you have your opposing forces, find the conflict, once you have the conflict, build the story, once you have the story, then find the setting. These steps aren't absolute though, everyone has their own ways. I feel like I should write a guide.

 

[BANANAMAN]

I write when inspiration hits me...Usually in the form of a splitting headache (the inspiration comes when the headache subsides) Which usually lasts for 15-17 minutes or sometimes into one hour episodes of creativity. And when it runs out i leave the project/piece unfinished to be either worked on another time or never at all. I also look at the notes i jot down during these episodes when i just feel like writing something for some reason.

 

[Varine]

I get an idea and then write down ten or so plot points to keep the basis of the story and then design it based off that, don't go back and revise until you finish. Otherwise if you're like me you'll be stuck on the first like two paragraphs forever.