35
votes
Accepted
Explaining made up card game
Does the reader need to know the rules to understand the story?
For example, is there any point where a character "bluffs" and the reader must understand the rules to recognize that he is making the "...
- 27.2k
34
votes
Accepted
Is it smart to reserve one's best ideas or to utilise them early in their writing career?
Use your best ideas. Write them as well as you can.
Yes, your writing will improve with experience.
And your ideas will also improve with experience.
If you reserve your "best ideas" until you're a ...
- 24.1k
29
votes
How to derive a first sentence from a story?
This is an odd question, but not for the reason you likely think I say that. Let me explain.
It doesn't matter how good your opening line is, if it isn't completely in line (or in tune) with the rest ...
- 5,441
25
votes
Accepted
Should I focus on ideas which the market enjoys, or ideas which I enjoy?
From your either-or phrasing, I understand that you're asking whether you should write something that appears "hot", but that you personally find utterly boring. How then do you propose to write such ...
25
votes
If I wouldn't want to read the story, is writing it still a good idea?
Why to abandon an idea
In considering the question of whether or not you should write an idea you don’t like, my instinct would be no. If you don’t like it, it will show in the writing. If you are ...
- 9,923
21
votes
Explaining made up card game
The question largely depends on whether the game and its particular rules are important to the story or not.
Take, for example, Quidditch, from the Harry Potter series. The game constitutes a major ...
19
votes
Accepted
Should a writer be a good reader?
Storytelling is a skill
Storytelling is not only a skill, it's a multi-faceted skill, a whole family of skills. To describe a scene, to set a mood, to foreshadow things to come later on, to develop ...
- 8,659
14
votes
Accepted
I'm unable to figure out the logical solution to a problem; how do I keep writing?
Here's the most simple answer to your solution. Plus, I believe it will make your story better over all. More interesting and add facets that you will be able to explore that will surely make your ...
- 6,467
13
votes
How to derive a first sentence from a story?
While there is no one single way, here's a practical approach.
You need to be capable of answering a few crucial questions about your work:
What is the work's overall feel and style?
What, about the ...
- 28.2k
12
votes
Is it smart to reserve one's best ideas or to utilise them early in their writing career?
Use your good ideas.
Just don't give away the rights to your creation. Make sure that you can re-use your story and elements.
I've seen countless stories about people who made a wonderful classic ...
- 495
12
votes
How to derive a storyline from a beginning?
Every writer has their own way. In a very general sense you either write as a discovery or write with a plan. It seems like you have a good idea. Write it. Since you haven't discovered your next step ...
- 1,803
12
votes
Accepted
How do I include a powerful theme in my story without making it blatantly obvious?
No one can really answer that. Because what works for you may not work for me, and that may or may not work for the next one in line. It's personal, and different people need to go about it ...
- 5,441
12
votes
Should I take breaks, or focus harder?
I have a leather-bound notebook with the words, ‘Quickly become feral’ embossed on it to remind me that that’s what works in progress do, because I’m an advocate of Annie Dillard’s advice:
“A work ...
- 9,923
12
votes
Should I focus on ideas which the market enjoys, or ideas which I enjoy?
Write what you enjoy.
Even professional authors have written first books they couldn't sell, and even when famous wouldn't sell without rewriting them from page 1. It is difficult to sell a first ...
- 100k
11
votes
Accepted
How to derive a storyline from a beginning?
You have an inciting incident and a protagonist.
I think something is off about one of them. Your protagonist is under-developed, or your inciting incident is under-developed.
In a typical story, ...
- 100k
11
votes
Accepted
What software/techniques do people use to gather ideas?
Use a wiki
Many people are using a wiki when they are creating their worlds, as can be seen by this answer to the question What software is available for keeping and organising notes about your world? ...
- 5,736
11
votes
If I wouldn't want to read the story, is writing it still a good idea?
It's often a good idea to note your ideas down the moment you have them and then look at them at a later point. This makes sure that you have an interest in it that lasts long enough to actually get ...
- 5,736
11
votes
Accepted
Enjoying my writing vs. maintaining writing habit
Not all advice is equally helpful to all writers. Some pieces of advice aren't even equally helpful to the same writer during different stages of the writing process. Like using a satnav, always ...
- 3,273
11
votes
Accepted
What really is considered as plagiarism?
In short: Everything you just listed is completely fine.
There's nothing wrong with taking a specific plot point in a book and then having your own unique spin on it. Nobody can plagiarize you for ...
- 920
10
votes
Is it possible for an aggressive character to become sensitive?
First of all, let's be clear: "aggressive and angry" is not "emotionless." He's either one or the other.
Second, "a bad man redeemed by the love of a good woman" can fall very easily into cliché. Try ...
10
votes
How to derive a first sentence from a story?
Avoid beginning your draft with the first sentence.
I know that sounds unintuitive to the point of madness, but I speak from experience. Even when I begin the drafting process with a clear idea of ...
- 221
10
votes
What software/techniques do people use to gather ideas?
Wiki and Flash are all well and good, but here's an answer for lazy people, like me. I use OneNote. It's already on your Windows, and it requires 0 level of tech-savvy. I am a Wikipedia editor, so it'...
10
votes
Has the idea for my story already been taken?
The answer to "Has this story idea already been done?" is always yes, regardless of what the idea actually is. Everything's already been done. In your particular case, the one example I can ...
- 10.8k
9
votes
How do I finish my projects?
Here is an idea.
First, I warn you I am a 'discovery' writer, and it sounds to me like you should be too, but your write yourself into corners.
A discovery writer (like Stephen King) begins with ...
- 100k
9
votes
What software/techniques do people use to gather ideas?
TL;DR Anything from Microsoft Paint, to general FlowChart designing programs will work (you should probably start with a flowchart regardless, but that's just me). Everything else in this answer is ...
- 5,441
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible