Writing Discussion II

[Xmara]

I hate when I’m nowhere near finishing a story and I’ve already got a half a dozen ideas for sequels and spinoffs ready.

I have been working on the same short story for 2 years and I’m not finished, but I’m already ready to turn it into a series and I’ve even got the grand finale planned out, but for whatever reason, I can’t finish the one I’m working on now.

If it's that much of a hassle, then write that grande finale! Turn it into a series, go for the whole thing.

Author after author tell us that realising you don't have to write in chronological order is immensely liberating.

Ik but the grand finale hinges on everything that happens before and I don’t have enough of the details for what happens in between worked out. Idk how my main characters get to that point.

Maybe I can try.

[Tikariot]

If it's that much of a hassle, then write that grande finale! Turn it into a series, go for the whole thing.

Author after author tell us that realising you don't have to write in chronological order is immensely liberating.

Ik but the grand finale hinges on everything that happens before and I don’t have enough of the details for what happens in between worked out. Idk how my main characters get to that point.

Maybe I can try.

Sometimes writing out the grande finale helps with exactly that. You will have something clearly defined as final goal and then you can work backwards. Once you see the final ending it can give you ideas or guidelines how you could get from A to B.

When I did the storyboard for my novel I mapped out a rough timeline for the whole thing beginning to end, so I'd have certain points I could attach to or aim for and then while writing fill in the blanks, elaborate and bring to life, so it is not completely open ended "let's see where this leads me", because that can lead to either you writing yourself into a corner or completely veering off. Now that being said, sometimes this kind of free-swinging can create tangential ideas that can add a sub-plot or a development you had not thought of at the beginning, but in the new context now makes sense.

[Zottistan]

Anyone know about ongoing and easy to access story contests? I have a pent up desire to tell an original story and tons of ideas, I just want some goal to strive for.

Try here. I can't recall how much the ticket is but it's pretty cheap, $8 I think. Deadline is mid-July so you should have some time.

[Joohan]

How's this for a title?:

Lucky Luciano vs The Samurai

[Joohan]

Anyone know about ongoing and easy to access story contests? I have a pent up desire to tell an original story and tons of ideas, I just want some goal to strive for.

Try here. I can't recall how much the ticket is but it's pretty cheap, $8 I think. Deadline is mid-July so you should have some time.

Thank you.

[Xmara]

Ik but the grand finale hinges on everything that happens before and I don’t have enough of the details for what happens in between worked out. Idk how my main characters get to that point.

Maybe I can try.

Sometimes writing out the grande finale helps with exactly that. You will have something clearly defined as final goal and then you can work backwards. Once you see the final ending it can give you ideas or guidelines how you could get from A to B.

When I did the storyboard for my novel I mapped out a rough timeline for the whole thing beginning to end, so I'd have certain points I could attach to or aim for and then while writing fill in the blanks, elaborate and bring to life, so it is not completely open ended "let's see where this leads me", because that can lead to either you writing yourself into a corner or completely veering off. Now that being said, sometimes this kind of free-swinging can create tangential ideas that can add a sub-plot or a development you had not thought of at the beginning, but in the new context now makes sense.

Good idea. I’ll try it.

[Free Ravensburg]

I don't know if this is the right thread, but I am currently having writer's block with this factbook. Is it possible for one of you to help me detail this a bit more?

[Xmara]

How do you know if your work is "good?" Because I'm working on a short story series and I'm worried it'll turn out horrible.

[Northern Davincia]

How do you know if your work is "good?" Because I'm working on a short story series and I'm worried it'll turn out horrible.

I have that fear myself, and generally it is good to ask for outside opinions, preferably from those who are not already friends or family.

[Shwe Tu Colony]

How do you know if your work is "good?" Because I'm working on a short story series and I'm worried it'll turn out horrible.

I had a college class a while back with an art professor, and there was one thing he said about something like this: bad art can eventually lead to good art. Me personally... I feel relaxed knowing that I'm probably bad or mediocre, because that means I'm not good yet and I don't have to worry about satisfying people's standard of "good" because I'm still improving it and I can continue working on making it "satisfactory" so then it can become "good." That said, Northern Davincia's advice is good if it's not your self-esteem of producing "bad art" that's blocking you, but you're just sort of worried.

[Xmara]

How do you know if your work is "good?" Because I'm working on a short story series and I'm worried it'll turn out horrible.

I had a college class a while back with an art professor, and there was one thing he said about something like this: bad art can eventually lead to good art. Me personally... I feel relaxed knowing that I'm probably bad or mediocre, because that means I'm not good yet and I don't have to worry about satisfying people's standard of "good" because I'm still improving it and I can continue working on making it "satisfactory" so then it can become "good." That said, Northern Davincia's advice is good if it's not your self-esteem of producing "bad art" that's blocking you, but you're just sort of worried.

It kinda is my self-esteem. I'm insecure anyway, and the plot of my series is pretty weird, so...

[Xmara]

Finally! I finished the first story in my series! 12 pages and 4500 words!

It's not that great but I'm feeling really accomplished right now because it's the first time I've managed to finish writing a story outside of creative writing in school and crappy Warrior Cats fanfics.

[Xmara]

So I'm editing my story, and I think there's something wrong with it. Like I feel like there's a plot hole somewhere and I can't identify it. Or maybe it's a pacing problem. IDK but I feel like there's a problem with it. Maybe if I look at it again tomorrow it will click with me...

[Tikariot]

So I'm editing my story, and I think there's something wrong with it. Like I feel like there's a plot hole somewhere and I can't identify it. Or maybe it's a pacing problem. IDK but I feel like there's a problem with it. Maybe if I look at it again tomorrow it will click with me...

Sometimes taking a step back and letting it sit for a day can clear your head to be able to see where things might not be all where and how they should be.

[Chan Island]

Finally! I finished the first story in my series! 12 pages and 4500 words!

It's not that great but I'm feeling really accomplished right now because it's the first time I've managed to finish writing a story outside of creative writing in school and crappy Warrior Cats fanfics.

So I'm editing my story, and I think there's something wrong with it. Like I feel like there's a plot hole somewhere and I can't identify it. Or maybe it's a pacing problem. IDK but I feel like there's a problem with it. Maybe if I look at it again tomorrow it will click with me...

Never go editing instantly after you finish. Spend some time away, take a week off. Or- even better- spend it writing something else. Then go edit. Assuming you don't find someone else to help you with it.

[Xmara]

Finally! I finished the first story in my series! 12 pages and 4500 words!

It's not that great but I'm feeling really accomplished right now because it's the first time I've managed to finish writing a story outside of creative writing in school and crappy Warrior Cats fanfics.

So I'm editing my story, and I think there's something wrong with it. Like I feel like there's a plot hole somewhere and I can't identify it. Or maybe it's a pacing problem. IDK but I feel like there's a problem with it. Maybe if I look at it again tomorrow it will click with me...

Never go editing instantly after you finish. Spend some time away, take a week off. Or- even better- spend it writing something else. Then go edit. Assuming you don't find someone else to help you with it.

Is that Crab Rave?

Anyway, that’s what I’m gonna do. I’ll edit it sometime next week.

[Soviet Haaregrad]

So I came up with a really self-satisfying way of dealing with Mary-Sue tendencies in a 'author avatar' type character...

He dies in the prologue.

Boldwarg The Longwanderer is >150 years old, still spry and vanished for 35 years before returning looking younger than his recently deceased son (about 50 years ago). A land and fealty dispute between him and the son of his former liege sets up most of the ensuing drama, although loads of social tensions that had been brewing for the past few generations also drive it. This guy's involvement in political matters is largely responsible for most of the plotlines that unfold. His ideological positions drive many of the conflicts, his predictions all play out as the story unfolds and the downer ending might be been avoidable if his advice was heeded.

My avatar isn't any of the characters who are actually participating and most of the over-the-top epic tales of badassery don't actually belong to any of the living characters, because there's something amusing about making the main protagonist for the first quarter appear completely dwarfed by his great-grandfather's legacy which he was groomed to take over. He fails though because happy endings suck.

[Latvijas Otra Republika]

How do you know if your work is "good?" Because I'm working on a short story series and I'm worried it'll turn out horrible.

It’s not about good or bad, those are very subjective terms. If you’re messing about and having fun, if you like the process and all of the energy, then it’s good.

Don’t think of other people, think of yourself

[Valentine Z]

How do you know if your work is "good?" Because I'm working on a short story series and I'm worried it'll turn out horrible.

It’s not about good or bad, those are very subjective terms. If you’re messing about and having fun, if you like the process and all of the energy, then it’s good.

Don’t think of other people, think of yourself

Embracing is indeed part of it. You don't have to stick your head in the sand all the time, but at the same time, you don't need to constantly change stuff to satisfy whoever is telling you to.

Sure, I am indeed very, very welcoming of criticism, especially constructive, and maybe even sometimes destructive, hehe. The thing is, listening to criticism and feedback is good and all, but if you think that you have improved in your writing and you are content with where you are, I think that's pretty good to me. You can't satisfy everyone, after all.

Happy writing! ^^

As for myself, I have 12 out of 60 characters whose backstories need to be finished. Here's to hoping!

[Zottistan]

How do you know if your work is "good?" Because I'm working on a short story series and I'm worried it'll turn out horrible.

I find myself that by the time I finish a piece I almost always hate it. The inspiration and the buzz that comes with a new idea wears off pretty fast, and insecurity and something akin to imposter syndrome settles in soon afterwards. The best thing to do is just plough ahead and finish it anyway. The idea is always perfect in your head before you write it, and when you look back at what you've actually created, all you'll see is all the ways the finished product failed to live up to that perfect picture you had in your head. Somebody else reading it, on the other hand, is more likely to judge it on its merits. They don't see the sketch lines and the parts that didn't work out quite like you intended them to.

[Xmara]

How do you know if your work is "good?" Because I'm working on a short story series and I'm worried it'll turn out horrible.

I find myself that by the time I finish a piece I almost always hate it. The inspiration and the buzz that comes with a new idea wears off pretty fast, and insecurity and something akin to imposter syndrome settles in soon afterwards. The best thing to do is just plough ahead and finish it anyway. The idea is always perfect in your head before you write it, and when you look back at what you've actually created, all you'll see is all the ways the finished product failed to live up to that perfect picture you had in your head. Somebody else reading it, on the other hand, is more likely to judge it on its merits. They don't see the sketch lines and the parts that didn't work out quite like you intended them to.

Thanks for the inspiration.

Still debating whether or not I should share it here.

[Northern Davincia]

I have lost faith in my current project so I am starting it again from scratch. I get the feeling to do so whenever I compare my writing with professionals', but I am steadily gaining my own literary voice.

[Free Ravensburg]

Anyone got a Memorial template for a factbook. I am currently lacking the brain cells to do so

[Northern Davincia]

Anyone got a Memorial template for a factbook. I am currently lacking the brain cells to do so

A memorial template?

[Free Ravensburg]

Name | Born | Died | Nation

but in a table, cuz my dumbass self cant figure out how to format tables