Forum: Author Hangout

I have stories wanting out of my head.

Mostly this.

And then if other people enjoy them, great!

take the time to outline and do more research.

I find I write me best stories by deciding on a very general outline with a start, a number of mid points, and an end point. Then I let the rest of the story develop on it's own with the characters telling me what they wish to do, most of the sub-plots are developed in this manner. Having the key way points and end in place helps to keep the story focused and on track. This provides the framework while letting your imagination loose at the same time.

Think of it as like taking a trip from Point A to Point Z with a stop at M along the way, but there are dozens of options for how you go from A to M and a dozen more for the section M to Z, and you chose those options while in transit based on the weather and the traffic conditions.

gathering research

that's a key part of a good story. I often find gems worth including when I do the research, even the historical stuff. The story I'm working on at the moment is set today in Pennsylvania, and the research on the history of Pennsylvania and some of the info on the War Between the states have given me two sub-plot ideas to incorporate into the story. The same things has happened with some of the other stories I'm working on, too, as well as some finished stories.

There was no outline, so the story has grown organically and I'm happy with where it's gone. I'm working on an idea for my next story now and I'm trying to decide whether to write in the same manner, or take the time to outline and do more research.

There's no problem with that approach. As you note, the story tends to develop more organically and naturally. The key, as many of us keep insisting, is in revising your work before you post it. Some authors write and post each chapter, because their stories take years to unfold, while others of us complete the entire first draft, then go back and revise, stripping out anything in the finished version which isn't strictly necessary (ex. abandoned story threads, or revising confusing chapters or story inconsistencies).

That way, you end up with a polished story while keeping the excitement of the original.

As for Ernest's point, I generally know the waypoints and the ending, but not the specifics of stories when I start, thus I know what I'm aiming for. I also start the story description, a two paragraph summary of the story, so I'll remember the guiding principals of the story to know what to keep and what to drop.

Now I write because I want to see what happens next to some of the people I've created.

I reach a point where I become so invested with a character, I'd rather learn what he's going to do rather than read some other story I'm not yet captivated by. Even if I know the ultimate ending, I still want to see how he handles each specific situation, and am frequently surprised how my main character handles events.

I read somewhere that writers write for themselves.

Not me. I write because of all the literary groupie's who drop their panties on the stage and shag me in front of thousands of people, screaming my name! ::-) Short of that, I'll write for myself, cause it's the best I'm gonna get!

I freely admit that this is fan fiction. I'm also considering a story or two based in a universe that already exists, just because again, having been reading since I was 4 years old, in the last 50 years I've read hundreds of thousands of stories and books and those universes are just out there.

Tell the stories your comfortable with, and which come from the heart. If you appreciate a particular sub-genre, that's a natural jumping off point. Just try to make it unique, distinctly yours in some way, so it's not just 'more of the same' and that you're telling a new story instead of rehashing other stories.

The best way to do that is to look at where others have fallen down: looking for stories which didn't quite work and trying to improve on what they overlooked. That's what inspired many of us at SOL. We read one too many stories and thought 'I could do a better job than that', and instead of just gripping we tried to do just that.

By focusing on a unique story, you begin looking at the story as a problem to be solved, rather than just a series of scenes linked together. You look for existing plot weaknesses, and figure out how to overcome those, while also developing the plot and building the characters. Those are all essential training for making stories succeed.

Having read a lot of fiction helps, non-fiction not as much, as the skills aren't as easily switched. As you've probably gathered from here, there's a lot of techniques used in fiction which won't work in non-fiction, and vice versa.

The biggest caveat, though, and this is for all of you looking to start writing and not just StarFleetCarl, is to think of the overall story, where it's going, how to develop it, pace it, keep readers captivated so they don't set it down and forget about it, and making the characters come alive.

As far as having the time to write, while it's an all-consuming passion, nothing demands you write a chapter a week for the next 52 weeks. Start slow. Invest the time before you ever put pen to paper to organize your plot and figure out how the story will unfold, and then write what you can. Chances are, you'll end up tossing several chapters right off the bat, but each revision will advance and improve the story. Each mistake reveals what doesn't work, and helps you understand what does.

The key, however, is not to procrastinate. If you delay, you begin to dread the work. The longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes. If you don't have time for a full chapter, try for a piece of one. If not part of the story, write a few interesting scenes you observe around you on any given day just to keep in practice--which you can always incorporate into another story.

Most importantly, if the story doesn't write itself, it's time to step back and consider where you went wrong. Often, writer's block is your characters telling you that your story has gone off track and you're asking them to do something they wouldn't likely do. Once you identify where you went off track, the words will flow once again.

Then again, if the words falter, waste a few hours writing forum posts which don't advance your story either, but at least you're practicing your craft.