Chit-Chat: Random Writing Nonsense

[Zeffy]

To be honest, I'm still not satisfied with the way I opened my story. It was the best scenario I could come up with, and I just decided to go with it. I wasn't really concerned about creating the perfect hook to catch my readers, I just wrote what I wanted to get across. If you're stuck on the introduction, just think about what you want to get across. Once you have that figured out, start thinking about how to get that across. Start writing it out and don't look back to revise until you feel like you got the information across. Then you may go back and revise. Don't get caught up in the beginning couple of sentences because I'm not sure if anybody is finally satisfied with theirs.

I really just can't help editing it immediately. I guess I should find I way to stop it from happening. I'll try just writing it, regardless whether I keep telling myself that it's bad haha

Since sticking with stories until the end was a huge weakness of mine, I'm going to share what helped me stay with one story for so long. I had previously tried to write two other stories. Both of them didn't make it past the second chapter. I think what made the story I'm currently working on different wasn't the idea that this idea was somehow more meaningful to me. I spent a ton of time planning it out. I spent about a full year planning it out and just waiting. I was going to wait until I graduated college to write it because I didn't want to screw it up. However, one day I just couldn't wait anymore, so I began writing. I think because I didn't start writing it out immediately, but rather let the idea sit and brew in my head, I didn't lose interest while writing it out. If an idea can sit in your head for that long and you still want to write it, I think that greatly increases your chances for finishing it.

I have been wanting to write about a Pokemon-themed zombie apocalypse for quite a while now, but I can't seem to grab any ideas to begin it. My current "project" is something relatively fresh (well, for me at least) and somehow, it makes me want to write it more. I have that general tendency.

The final piece of advice I can give you is post it here. I can't really give you much help if I can't base my advice off of your writing. For all I know, none of this is helping you, but if I read your writing, then I can tell you what's working and what's not. So post it here!

I would but, as I've mentioned earlier, I'm stuck with the first few sentences (like always). I would not be bothered much if this case of writer's block was relatively recent, I just take a break for that to go away. What bothers me is that this has been going on for me for almost two years now. :(

Anyway, thanks for the advice! I'll try to spawn something up later. :]

 

[MTG]

Hey everyone, I just came back from my hiatus and I have a new story of Unova/Isshu Elite Four.

The previous work I told before is still going but I won't be showing it here for showing young members here.

About the latest work is about Alder looking for a the latest member of the Unova Elite Four, so he went to the Sinnoh Battle Frontier and found Caitlin. Though her parents weren't accept him to take Caitlin to the league by herself. Therefore, he came back with nothing, till he found her in the plane.

I all the wrote so far, if anyone are interested to the story, I may set up a thread soon. So stay tight.

 

[Gulpin]

Since it's been a few weeks since the last post in here, and I want to talk about writing, I hope that this post falls within the rules of this thread.
I guess what I'm really looking for is advice. I'd like to say that I'm decent when it comes to writing, and for the past month and a half or so there has been an odd drive within me to sit down and write a story. However, that is where my problem begins - I feel as if I am devoid of all creativity when it comes to the storytelling aspect of writing. It has been years since I've done any creative writing, and all of the writing that I've done recently is for school, which is basically just analysis of poems, novels, and plays. However, I still feel this drive to tell a creative story. I feel like I do not have a problem with the actual crafting of words into sentences and sentences into paragraphs, but with finding something that I care enough about to devote my time to. I, for the life of me, cannot come up with something riveting enough for me to tell a story about. I first had these conflicting emotions around Thanksgiving, and I was able to get rid of them for a while, but they keep on coming back. I feel this drive to write so strongly, but I feel as if I lack the creativity to craft a meaningful story.
So, to get to the point, I would like to ask some writers here on PC what I should do to cure this chronic writers block, if that's what it could be called. I've been waiting for some divine inspiration, but that has not yet happened, so hopefully just by putting this out there and talking to someone about this I can find something to inspire me so I can begin writing.

 

[Nolafus]

Since it's been a few weeks since the last post in here, and I want to talk about writing, I hope that this post falls within the rules of this thread.

Sounds good to me.

Okay, what do I know about ideas? Ideas for me come few and far between. After a year and a half with taking this writing stuff more seriously I've come up with three ideas I would be willing to write about. My only advice is to keep an open mind about everything. Ideas will come, but only if you let them. Don't force it, it only creates bland ideas that don't really have the heart behind them. If you're really looking for ideas to write about, try watching movies or TV. Sometimes an idea will jump out at you. Two of my three ideas I got from watching TV. One was a preview for a movie and the other was an advertisement for a show. The only thing about that is to make sure your story isn't an exact copy of whatever you got the idea from.

To sum up all those thoughts into a few sentences, just keep your mind open to these ideas. Eventually one will stand out and practically scream at you to write about. The next step? Write the idea down immediately. I've lost countless ideas because I simply forgot them. A writing idea is like a fart. If you force it, it's most likely crap. You know what? That's writing in general. I think I just made the truest statement about writing in the history of history.

Anyway, If you want, I have a few writing ideas I'm probably not going to use you could take a look at and see if one stands out to you.

 

[Astinus]

Another way to get ideas is to do the most boring thing ever and let your mind wander. At my job, I do the most tedious boring thoughtless task ever, and my mind is allowed to wander. I think about anything that comes into my mind, including my writing. From these six hours of aimless thinking, I can get a few good ideas, and I write them down as I get them so I can develop them better if need be.

I agree with Slayr that forcing writing just doesn't work. I've tried it a few times, and just hated what I produced.

Anyway, If you want, I have a few writing ideas I'm probably not going to use you could take a look at and see if one stands out to you.

We actually used to have a thread like that a few years ago. People would leave story ideas that they didn't want to write in the hopes that others would pick them up.

 

[alisaie]

I would actually very much enjoy seeing a thread like that around again. Especially since I'll be taking a creative writing course this semester so maybe I can look at that thread as a back up if need be. And just in general it would be really good for others as well that aren't very good at coming up with good idea on their own but want to write something creative.

 

[Nolafus]

I'm thinking about changing the requests thread into an idea exchanging thread. It would help validate its existence, that's for sure. Thoughts?

Edit: And I was too impatient, so I did it anyway. :P

 

[Gulpin]

Thank you for the input. I believe that part of my problem is that I've been trying to repress this urge to write, which probably completely closes me off from keeping an open mind about any possible ideas. What I'll try to do is stop coming up with excuses to keep me from writing and just be open to wandering thoughts that could turn into meaningful plots.
Also, I'll go check out the idea thread. I may not use a specific idea but maybe something will spark my dormant creativity.

 

[Nolafus]

And when you do get creative, make sure to post it here! ;)

 

[Gulpin]

I'll be sure to do so! ^^
However, once I get an idea it may be a while before I get enough of a start to post anything! Time may be a bit of an issue for me, but I'll be trying my hardest to not let that hold be back!

 

[moon]

Thread not dead :D

I've lately felt inspired to try writing in 1st person present tense. The Hunger Games books were the reason :p The author does it so well there. I always write 3rd person past tense, normally. Time to switch it up, perhaps. Now to figure out what to write... xD

 

[Nolafus]

Up to this point, my viewpoint has always been third person in past tense. It's just what comes naturally, but the Hunger Games has me rethinking that as well, now that you mention it. I thought it complimented the plot very well.

Actually, my next project is going to include some pretty weird techniques. It's going to be in the present tense, but I'm going to have to write in the rare second person. In case you're not familiar with it, instead of using the "I" of first person or the "He/She" of third person, I'm going to be using "You". It's going to be interesting, but it's the only way to get the story across where the reader is the main character.

 

[moon]

Ooh, Homestuck taught me about the second person viewpoint. It's quite comfortable actually. Although weird. Such as:
http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=007356
http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=007357 (warning, profanity in links)

 

[Nolafus]

I've heard of homestuck, but never got into it. I started reading through it, but never got very far. It just didn't pique my interest. Although, I do have to appreciate the 2nd person going on. It's something that's hardly seen, ever.

 

[moon]

Not gonna force you ;) it's funny and cute in the beginning and epicly confusing near the end.

But about 2nd person, yes, please let me know if you post something written as such :) Reason it works in Homestuck is that it's playing off the adventure game genre when a narrative describes your surroundings and choices in second person - since they're talking to you, the character.

Oh, now that I mention it, of course I've written stuff in 2nd person before. When narrating RP posts for people. It's comfortable, definitely something to experiment with.

When Cutlerine did his adventure game thingy here, did he write in 2nd or first person?

 

[Nolafus]

When Cutlerine did his adventure game thingy here, did he write in 2nd or first person?

Actually, I'm not sure. I think he finished with that right as I came back, so I never read it.

My project is actually going to be a choose your own adventure thing where I give you some options at the end of a section where you choose your option, click the link, and then it takes you to another part of the thread where the story continues from the choice you last made. I'm going to have a lot of fun with it, that's for sure!

 

[Astinus]

When Cutlerine did his adventure game thingy here, did he write in 2nd or first person?

He wrote it in second-person POV. You can check it out here.

One of my friends actually wrote a few stories in second-person. It was the POV she was most comfortable with, and her doing that made her stories a lot of fun to read. I should see if I can dig up some links to them.

 

[Cyraina]

Anyone read, "The Phoenix Rose Saga" on fanfiction.net? I just read the first chapter. It seemed pretty interesting. Not entirely original so far, but interesting. I wanted to know from people who have read it (without giving spoilers) what they thought of it. It's the first Pokemon fanfic I've tried reading, and it's a romance fic about Mewtwo.

 

[Sheep]

^Never heard of it! Too many good stories I'm missing out on lately. Need to pop info ff.net more. :(

But anyways, I really like writing in first person. Much more enjoyable than third so I have a feeling I'll be sticking to this one more form now on.

 

[Nolafus]

I always find myself writing in third person. I guess it's most comfortable with me, but I want to give writing in first person a try.