Ok. I have always been a factual type guy when it comes to writing. I know that I can write a story like a lot of people here on HW can, it is just that I don't know enough about creative writing to write it. I can write essays upon essays with loads of book reports thrown in. I am very good at those, but have not the slightest clue how to start even a short story. I know you can't just sit down and start writing, and hope to have a good book. From what I have seen on this forum, it takes effort and strategic planning for a novel/book/short story to be written very well.

I just wondered if anyone would be willing to help me out?

Thanks,
Akicita

I won't be on here too often, but I can give feedback, if you want. And really, essay writing is just a short step away from creative. After all, you have to be creative to make some essay topics interesting.

I would love feedback. I am not quite sure how to write creative though. I think I can do it, just not sure how. what would you suggest?

Well, I would vote just to start writing, period. Always helps for me.

When I started writing - I was probably 10 or 11, don't really remember - I wrote fan fiction. Gave me characters that I was already familiar with, and I did some ::blush:: rather childish things like putting myself and my siblings into the story. (I was doing a combination of the Imagination Station from AIO and the Lone Ranger/Roy Rogers western tv shows/films) I think I did more playing with fonts than actually writing...but it laid the foundation for more serious work later.

When I was somewhat older (14?), I still hadn't gotten done with fanfiction, but I understood what is legitimate fanfiction and what's just dinking around wasting time... I wrote some fanfiction for a video game which had a plot that was much sparser than what I wanted (but really interesting characters)...and the plot & characters got away from me and ended up being completely original, so I took it and turned it into a real story.

We aren't going to get to my current age, lol, that's classified information.

Anyway, now I still do a little fanfiction - really would like to do a full fanfiction about Feanor, and one about Gondolin - but limited writing time forces me to focus on my original works.

So I recommend doing a bit of fanfiction to get started, and don't worry about finishing it before moving on.

I also recommend using story starter type stuff...finish this story, write a story about this photo, what if this happened, etc.

Storywriting is fun, you just have to get started.

A good story comes from good characters.

I don't plan anything in my stories. I work on developing characters and world building, but let the plot work itself out. It's good to have a starting point and an ending point planned, and a vague sort of idea on how you're going to get to the end, but once you have your character's developed, and your world built, I think you should let the story take its own course.

Even with lots of planning, you will not be able to write an amazing book at the first crack. You're just starting out! Even those of us who have been at it for years still are learning things.

Just start writing. Take your characters, and begin to tell a story. The easiest way to find your creative writing style is to start writing. Eventually, things straighten out. The best thing you can do "write" now (corny pun intended. ) is to start writing and get feedback from others!

If you're looking for someone to read what you write and edit and such, I'd be happy to do that! I'll even pm u my email. And then there is the Story Excerpts section of this forum. Post things there too, and people will be happy to help out.

Willow Wenial,

Thanks for the offer. I would love for you to edit and give judgement on how I write. I haven't started writing yet, as I am gathering ideas but will be willing to email you what I have written for critiquing. It might take awhile as I have a full time job, chores, and a few other things to manage!

Thanks again,
Akicita

Ok. Well, whenever you feel like it.

And I thought of one more thing. (I'm long winded that way. :P)

Before you start writing your story it helps to come up with basic character profiles. Right out your idea of their backstories, personalities, description and anything else that might help you get a feel for the kind of people they are.

Have fun!


Willow

Hi,

One thing you might want to do is: pray. Ask for the words to get you started. My mom was telling me the Lord may not give you the entire story right away. You may start it and get 3 pages in then have to put it away for a while. I started writing when I was 11 (it was a horse story) and it's still not finished. None of my stories are except two short stories I'm expanding to novellas/novels. The most recent one I finished should go better since I know the ending unlike the 7-8 other stories I've written.

Good luck!

Just start writing. I started writing about 9 with an original sci-fi/ space opera based off of SW and Star Trek. I used my classmates as characters. The most important thing is to start. Writing is not like theoretical astrophysics, you can teach yourself to write from your experience. It's how writing is unique. Not many other things allow you to learn most of what you need by doing.

When I started writing I was very much 'fan-fiction' genre, well, sort of. One of the first stories I wrote was one about me and my classmates. In fact, I found it a lot easier to write fictional stuff about people I knew rather than made-up characters. Maybe start with some characters that you know? Family members, etc? Just a thought.

My first 'good' (at the time) short story was called Onulas. Me and six/seven of my classmates went out to recess and found ourselves in Onulas, where the White Jaguar was holding the nation in the grip of winter. Sound familiar? So yeah, for a long time I just wrote a mix of fan-fic and stuff about people I knew.

Then I started trying to write fantasy. It's a lot harder mainly because you have to make EVERYTHING up (as opposed to an earth-based fictional story where you already have the earth as a basis). But it's fun!

I hope this helped, at least a little bit

eruheran

I would say to work on the characters first. Ultimately they are what keeps the reader reading. But if you have an idea for a story think on that a while. Often when I turn to work on my character charts or drawing them, I find that my mind wanders to the story and the role they play. Pieces of the story will start to fall into place.

But I also suggest that you pray. I often forget that if I'm caught with a plot-hole or just can't seem to write the words down, I can turn to the One who gave the gift to begin with.

I'm going to have to agree with most everyone else and say just start writing. Write whatever comes into your head, whatever gets you excited. Once you have an idea, where to start it will be natural. From what I've seen, everyone thinks about writing differently, and no one person's methods work for everyone else. The only way you'll find what works for you is if you just jump in. Don't worry about whether it's good or not; you'll get a feel for that as you go along. That's really the only way to learn. Good luck and God bless!

This is strange advice, but do National Novel Writing Month or one of the office of Letters and Light's other programs, or others like them. You literally have to sit and type as fast as you can and as hard as you can. You begin to see what you're good at and what you're not. I learned that I can write smooth action scenes, but I can't vary my sentences.

The NaNoWriMo forums also have a role-playing section which is fun to, well, lurk in for hours a day and it improves your writing. I learned that by doing it.

See, I see it more as you get to make everything up, not have to.
Fantasy comes easier to me because you don't have to worry as much about being realistic or accurate, because you as the author define what is accurate and realistic. At least to some extent.

The only way to begin a story that I know of is to just start writing Maybe you'll have a plot and characters thought out ahead of time, maybe not. Or maybe you could start with an interesting scene and see where it goes from there.

I see it as fun, too. Now. But when I first started writing fantasy, I felt a bit overwhelmed.

eruheran

I'd agree with those who suggest just start writing. Don't let yourself be intimidated by the idea, but plunge right in, because writing is only way to learn to write. I've found that creativity breeds creativity. The more you write creatively, more natural it will feel. Pretty soon, you'll likely find yourself overwhelmed with characters, worlds, and ideas. Start with a character, a situation, or even just a thought that intrigues you and see what develops. As you grow in experience, it will be easier to plot things out ahead of time (at least that is what I've found). So have fun!

Fellow Akicita,

A great writer is a great re-writer. Ask any of the masters. Hemingway, who is considered to be among the top five greatest American writers of all time, wrote a single page from his critically-acclaimed work, "A Farewell to Arms," over fifty times! When asked what the trouble was, he replied, "Getting the words right."

A good way to get a story on a page is to spill it like a bucket of paint on a canvas. Time yourself for thirty minutes and go! Don't stop for anything - don't make any corrections, don't pause to think of better wording or grammar or what you want to say - just spill your brains out! I like to do this two or three times before going back over my work, seeing what I like, and finally piecing together a slower, fourth draft. This not only brings out better writing, but it spares me a headache...and it's fun too!

Give it a try. But even this takes discipline. I think you're like me when it comes to writing: I agonize over a single sentence until I deem it perfect before moving to the next one. This produces stiff and bloodless prose. Horrible stuff! It's far better to get out of my comfort zone and write like I was painting modern-art!

Desiderio Domini,
Pavalini

A good little book I would prescribe to any writer in any field is "Writing with Style" by John R. Trimble. Get your hands on it, if you can. It's tiny, inexpensive, and genuinely useful.

To anyone who has trouble beginning writing: My favorite author always says that when we "play around" with words and ideas and stories, and don't care about quality or what people think and only focus on the "toy at hand", we sometimes end up writing something that's really good.

Don't stress about beginning. Write because you want to, and don't be afraid. Step into the story and let it guide you where it will. Though not outlining isn't always a good idea, it is fun to do now and then for exercise.
And if you have a hard time wondering whether or not to delete something, create a document or folder to put all the words you may want to look at again one day.
And if you feel as if you can't write the first sentence, write the second sentence first. You can always write the first sentence of the book later.