All Questions
43 questions
3
votes
1
answer
568
views
I'm rewriting a 2019 oneshot and am up to 37,000 words already. Should I make them chapters or keep it as a long oneshot?
The oneshot I did in 2019 was about 10,000 words long, but when I read it back it was terrible. Not necessarily bad but the pacing, characters and everything was just wrong (With a lot of spelling ...
- 31
4
votes
4
answers
519
views
How and where do I start writing my novel?
I've been creating stories in my head since I was very young. When I was around 8 I started writing it in a notebook (didn't go anywhere), when I was around 12 I started typing up a story with my ...
- 902
0
votes
1
answer
148
views
The Dread of Planning a Timeline
I'm working on the second draft of a novel series, and I already have 800 pages written. After re-evaluating the characters and most of their arcs, I've started planning a timeline for each book in ...
- 35
2
votes
1
answer
121
views
Fictional settings & fictional towns - how to be realistic with geography for a realistic setting?
I've been writing a short story - and the setting is semi-important to it, it's not just a backdrop.
It's historical fiction of a sort - the 2000s is the era it's set in. Would this qualify as a ...
- 21
3
votes
5
answers
352
views
How can you write an "unambitious" story?
All of my attempts at writing devolve into overthinking plot, characters, and motivations, and the result is always burnout. I've yet to go deeper than a handful of chapters into a book.
Perhaps "...
- 418
2
votes
1
answer
118
views
How do I make and decide whether a story should be a sequel or prequel?
I have lots of inspirations that I can make into stories, but I face this one question a lot: Should it be a prequel or sequel? Here's the thing: I'm an amateur writer, but I do have lots of potential ...
- 1,143
2
votes
3
answers
290
views
How am I supposed to use bad luck as a disadvantage?
So when I was thinking of a character, I tried my best to not make them a Mary Sue. We all know Mary Sue is the number one horrible character. As such I came up with ideas of characters that I can ...
- 1,143
8
votes
4
answers
2k
views
How do you get solid concepts and stop scrapping ideas?
As a young writer, I usually write when I have the time; after I finish my homework or school. I find it difficult to get a solid idea. For starters, the first thing you need for a story is concept or ...
- 1,143
2
votes
2
answers
71
views
Writer's Block Over a New Draft
A while back, I finished my first draft and decided to make huge changes in the protagonist. I went back to replanning the entire story I have been familiar with for two years.
How I plan the plot ...
- 745
4
votes
2
answers
186
views
Help! I have a strong concept, but a million decisions to make! How do I finish my first draft?
During the lockdown, I wrote 60,000 words of my children's fiction book. It wasn't a consistent process and as such, it has many inconsistencies and obsolete scenes.
At the moment, the draft looks ...
- 41
7
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Where to go next in the writing process?
I'm a new writer, have been working on a novel length piece of work for the past couple of years, and I have always been the kind of person to just "wing it" and see what happens. After ...
- 197
6
votes
2
answers
555
views
Enjoying my writing vs. maintaining writing habit
How do I resolve the conflict between:
Being interested in what I write about
Ignoring my inner critic, pushing past writer's block, starting writing, maintaining a writing habit, etc.
When I find ...
- 103
0
votes
2
answers
72
views
Fiction Advice: Country's Children [closed]
I had an idea for a setting. I don't know if it has been done before. What I thought of is that a government would collect children. I am not sure if I should have the children be distributed to ...
1
vote
4
answers
227
views
How to deal with fan's wants/criticism with a series?
This is particularly aimed at those who have written/published a series. So, a lot of my ideas involve serious commitment over several short volumes, To make one ultimate story. However, while much of ...
- 2,643
5
votes
1
answer
331
views
If I have an idea for an animated series how do I write it out?
So basically I’ve come up with a story that I believe could be an interesting animated series, but I’m not in the stages where I’m ready to try and pitch it or anything. How should I approach writing ...
- 53
26
votes
11
answers
8k
views
How to prevent "they're falling in love" trope
I have two characters, the male being sort of a jerk, but lightening up later in the story, and the female is...very hateful. But a person who read the first chapter asked me if they were going to get ...
- 2,643
7
votes
2
answers
194
views
Handling Earth-based religions on a foreign planet
For some context to my question:
The story I'm currently writing takes place on another planet. It is never mentioned whether Earth exists (or had existed), but the characters are all human, have ...
- 163
5
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Films where the antagonist appears relatively late [closed]
Usually the antagonist is introduced as early as possible. However, are there films where the antagonist appears rather late? The earlier parts of the film should center on the mystery of this ...
- 89
7
votes
7
answers
3k
views
How to plan a short story for a given word count?
Many short story competitions, at least in Israel, set a theme and a word count: up to 2500 words, 2000-5000 words, etc. I often find myself starting short stories for such competitions, and hitting ...
2
votes
4
answers
239
views
Help! My brain is writing several chapters at once!
So, I've been thinking about my story, and suddenly I got inspiration for the continuation of the chapter (I'm not even sure what chapter it should be). So, basically, I ended with progressing 3 ...
- 763
6
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Is including a large number of twists a bad thing?
I've been doing some research into twists, and after not knowing how to create one, I'm starting to get a handle on them. Unfortunately, now I'm at the other end of the spectrum, and wondering if I ...
9
votes
9
answers
1k
views
How Can I Make a Great Plot?
I'm a plotter, meaning I plan and develop my books before ever writing the first draft. I've given a good deal of thought to character, stakes, and the other parts of novel creation, and I feel like I ...
3
votes
3
answers
118
views
Is it good to repeat the same form of event?
Background
So, long ago in my writing I wrote a chapter where a book housing a specific missing chapter was found in a treasury. As you can tell, it's super ultra convenient to just have it in the ...
- 4,439
3
votes
2
answers
3k
views
How useful are stock characters in fiction?
I am writing a realistic-fiction novel set in the USA during the Great Depression. I intend to use some stock characters to make the story colorful and to flesh out the culture of the period.
Stock ...
- 1,337
5
votes
6
answers
3k
views
Hang on - where's the main conflict?
I've recently been struggling with a very strange problem in my writing: I can't find the main conflict in my novels. This has inspired quite a bit of thought and reflection on exactly what a main ...
9
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Can Extensive Outlining Take the Place of the First Draft?
Background: I've been writing fan fiction for five years now. I began when I didn't have a clue what I was doing, so my methods have evolved during those years. By now I have a solid process that I ...
0
votes
1
answer
123
views
Questions on a plausibility of a Naruto Homage
I've been itching to write a web fiction serial that's also a homage to Naruto since I found out the manga ended and went on a re-reading binge...
Anyway it'll loosely have similar ideas i.e. clans.
...
- 11
5
votes
5
answers
234
views
How practical and feasible is it to work on more than one novel / story at one time?
Lets say you are working on one novel / short story. As you work you suddenly get an inspiration for another piece of fiction. You feel it's a brilliant idea and you should start working on it right ...
- 1,223
1
vote
2
answers
327
views
How Can You Include Public Stakes in a Character Novel?
In Donald Maass's book Writing the Breakout Novel, he talks about stakes. He goes over how a breakout novel needs two kinds: personal stakes - what the hero could lose - and public stakes - what the ...
1
vote
2
answers
204
views
How does an author determine how much foreshadowing is needed?
I am working on a screenplay where the opening scene is that a woman has lost 20 years of relative age because of a "time machine" dynamic.
Then the play "flashes back" to a different time, where a ...
- 4,405
5
votes
5
answers
773
views
Research overgrown main novel plan and writing
I want your opinion on this:
For about half a year now I've researched my novel. Because of situating the story to the part of an original Earth's history, I made my research about history, ...
- 573
3
votes
4
answers
274
views
Thinking as a character
Months after starting my first novel (which hasn't made any progress and is still in its first draft) I feel I can only react to a given situation rather than create one. The same seems to apply to my ...
- 205
4
votes
4
answers
869
views
How to Develop a Theme Before Writing a Novel
I've given some thought to this, and I decided that I want to either make or find a theme to my fantasy novel before I really get into it (as I have started a couple pages already). I did some ...
- 341
9
votes
8
answers
3k
views
World Building vs Story Writing
Note, this might be off-topic and belong on World Building SE?
I have always been far more interested in building the world my stories take place in than the stories themselves. I will spend large ...
- 237
3
votes
2
answers
490
views
Should I use ideas for my story now, or in a sequel?
I have built a world in which to write my fantasy book, and I'm currently writing my first book about it. I have it all planned out and am in the process of writing it. I have plans for a further book ...
- 5,290
7
votes
2
answers
860
views
How/When to include twists when developing plot.
Disclaimer: This is a new question, not an extension of my other questions concerning twists.
When I develop fiction, I start with a premise and a theme. I have a general idea of where I'm headed, ...
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Being a non-native English writer how can i improve my English Writing style? [duplicate]
I'm an Indian and trying to write a novel based on 2 sisters.
My problem is that i don't feel very comfortable with my english sometimes. How can i improve my english?
And sometimes i use the same ...
- 1
1
vote
3
answers
159
views
Stranded Society Speaking Same Language
Let's start with a scenario: a dozen babies are left on an island in the middle of the ocean and are brought up by monkeys. When they come of age, they are mean to find a message somewhere on the ...
- 113
2
votes
1
answer
103
views
Is it common to bring in a developmental editor when you are at the stage of synopsis?
When writing an analytical synopsis for a fiction book, is it common to bring in a developmental editor?
I am new at writing. As I understand it, the developmental editor could help more in this ...
- 121
6
votes
6
answers
2k
views
How specific should I be when outlining the plot?
One problem I often run into when trying to make a general outline of the plot for a story is how specific I am in the descriptions of events. Generally, this happens when I have written a portion of ...
- 523
10
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Deciding the setting: real or invented?
I'm preparing some material because I have the intention of writing a book. I'd do this in every type of work, but considering that I'm writing Crime Fiction, this is even more important.
I've ...
- 343
12
votes
4
answers
823
views
How do I decide if writing expository scenes that won't be in my finished novel is useful, or procrastination?
I tend to burn out developing my stories before they even reach the page, so I'm taking some advice to plan a novel. I didn't quite follow the advice to the letter; I used an idea that had been ...
- 559
23
votes
7
answers
6k
views
Keeping track of multiple plot lines
How do you track several plot lines woven together?
I usually run 2 or 3 plot-lines in parallel, so I detail those plots each in a separate document. But as the book goes on, it is sometimes ...
- 1,411