aspiring authors discussion

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anyone have any advice for how to get a story moving/ introduce the climax? this is where i always get stuck when writing haha

Lilly #2 wrote: "anyone have any advice for how to get a story moving/ introduce the climax? this is where i always get stuck when writing haha"

Hello Lilly, I don't know if this helps but I do what is called a skeleton draft. I basically write a short story of the main points. I then read what I wrote and I basically comes up with new thing to add to my story. I find I know where I want to start and finish, but connecting the dots is never a straight line.

how do you come up with the ending?

I generally just think of where I want my story to get to by the end - what goals I have for the characters. maybe try using a mindmap? they really help me!

I don't write with a plotted ending in mind, but I know where I want my characters to go. I have the internal arc endings but not the external ones, but I usually find that out as I'm writing. First drafts are for discovery.

halima 🤍 wrote: "Would you recommend beginning writing without the full plot (like beginning, middle, no end) or with the plot? Idk whether to start with my full plot or not!!"

Hi, I don't know if it will help but I start with my plot. I figure out key points then build on that. Sometimes your story will end up writing itself. I know at times my characters end up leading the story instead of me. Sounds crazy but it happens sometimes.

Anyone have any advice on opening lines?

the simplest line possible, but one that makes ur reader think straightaway

Tapping my feet to no particular rhythm, I look over at her. - that's mine

Ahhh okay!

ƑìɾҽƒӀվ || į աìӀӀ քҽքքҽɾ ìղ էհҽ ƒąçէ էհąէ į ąʍ ցąվ wrote: "Anyone have any advice on opening lines?"

Intensity.
Show your character and their voice really quickly, and remember you can always tone it down, but you don't want your readers to have to think super hard about who your character is.
It should be clear from the start that they have a personality. Start out with a bang!
Either that, or show some sort of conflict. Hopefully both.
Here's a few of mine (my current wip has 4 mcs and they all have their own opening lines because we don't meet them all at once) that demonstrate what I mean because it's hard to put into words:
"Captain Capella was technically banned from the Blue Island on grounds of arson, thievery, and general disruption of the peace, whatever the Nine Hells that meant. She technically didn’t give a shit."
"Some thought of him as a revolutionary, a bright spark to take them forward. He knew that he was really just a murderer hiding under the guise of dreams."
"It had been two hundred sixty-seven days since he had been out of this castle."

Whoa
Damn
Thank you
Is-
Is it okay if I ask to read that story because I already love Capella like a lot?

ƑìɾҽƒӀվ || į աìӀӀ քҽքքҽɾ ìղ էհҽ ƒąçէ էհąէ į ąʍ ցąվ wrote: "Anyone have any advice on opening lines?"



I try to start with something that hooks the readers. It doesn't always have to develop the character (although you should probably provide descriptions and personality early on) but it should always be something that captures the reader's attention. Especially if you want it published.

I would look at the beginnings of different books and see what a lot of authors do.

ƑìɾҽƒӀվ || į աìӀӀ քҽքքҽɾ ìղ էհҽ ƒąçէ էհąէ į ąʍ ցąվ wrote: "Whoa
Damn
Thank you
Is-
Is it okay if I ask to read that story because I already love Capella like a lot?"

Thank you so much, that's such a high compliment! You can totally read it once I've actually drafted it lol. Anyways, my point was that a first line should introduce a conflict and make the character seem interesting.

Okay! Thank you, guys! That's super helpful :D

ƑìɾҽƒӀվ || į աìӀӀ քҽքքҽɾ ìղ էհҽ ƒąçէ էհąէ į ąʍ ցąվ wrote: "Okay! Thank you, guys! That's super helpful :D"

'Dari was not an idiot. He just preferred the term “marvelously irresponsible,” and he kept reminding himself of this as he inched his way along the ledge after his brother.'

So I tried to follow your advice? What do you think?

ƑìɾҽƒӀվ || į աìӀӀ քҽքքҽɾ ìղ էհҽ ƒąçէ էհąէ į ąʍ ցąվ wrote: "ƑìɾҽƒӀվ || į աìӀӀ քҽքքҽɾ ìղ էհҽ ƒąçէ էհąէ į ąʍ ցąվ wrote: "Okay! Thank you, guys! That's super helpful :D"

'Dari was not an idiot. He just preferred the term “marvelously irresponsible,” and he ke..."

This is really good! I desperately want to know more about Dari and he's already my favorite so that's definitely good.
Seriously, though, now I want to meet him.

Thank you!

Anyone have suggestions for a more entertaining story?

Anyone have any tips for writing fight scenes?

Anyone have tips on how one side character can figure out my MC (main character) is a witch in a single chapter? Like the SC (side character) herself is an earth witch, the MC is a shapeshifter who also has the ability to 'see' magic.


I've written that the SC thinks the MC looks like another shapeshifting witch that she met before( who turns out to be related to the MC). But looks alone isn't enough to figure out someone is a witch. It also doesn't help that my MC can't really use her powers so she doesn't slip up by accidental use. She is a bad liar though so is there a way for her to accidentally reveal herself that doesn't feel forced?

ƑìɾҽƒӀվ | ησт ρѕу¢нσтι¢ נυѕт єχнαυѕтє∂ wrote: "Anyone have any tips for writing fight scenes?"



I wish I could help. All I have is this video. He tends to explain things really really well. https://youtu.be/jKkKNKUK_GE

Arhazo wrote: "Anyone have tips on how one side character can figure out my MC (main character) is a witch in a single chapter? Like the SC (side character) herself is an earth witch, the MC is a shapeshifter who..."

Hmmm. I would recommend a fast-paced scene in which, like, they're all excited about something, because that's when we forget to be cautious. Maybe it could be something like the MC sees something that only witches can see, like looks through some glamour type thing, because she can see magic?
Basically it can be anything, but make them excited in that scene, and let the SC not realize that the MC is the witch in that same thing. Like, the MC just offhandedly pointed out something that she's always taken for granted, but that night or something, she figures out that humans can't see that. And yeah, realizes everything...!

ƑìɾҽƒӀվ | ησт ρѕу¢нσтι¢ נυѕт єχнαυѕтє∂ wrote: "Anyone have any tips for writing fight scenes?"

Well, I think that the key to write fight scenes is adrenaline. Write quickly. Don't explain too much, this stops the whole excitment feeling, just jump for the one scene to another. Imagine you're on the middle of a fihgt, you obviously don't have the time to notice little details, your attencion is all in finding a way to win and survive. What I recently did while writting such a scene, and it actually worked, was writting non-stop, with a specifictime time limit. I, for example, gave myself three minutes to write down a fight scene. I was hurrig up, so I just left myself follow my imagination, write as quickly as I could, and that brought me the neccesery andrenaline, I didn't stop to see what I wrote on the previous sentense (as i do in calm scenes), so at the end I had the feeling as if I were in the fight. The outcome had some mistakes, but on the whole it was quite good, better than all my previous tries!

I really hope that helped, please let me know :)

Tisha wrote: "Arhazo wrote: "Anyone have tips on how one side character can figure out my MC (main character) is a witch in a single chapter? Like the SC (side character) herself is an earth witch, the MC is a s..."

Thank you that's really helpful because there is a moment where she's excited in this scene. Maybe I'll figure out how to use that to my benefit!

Grace wrote: "ƑìɾҽƒӀվ | ησт ρѕу¢нσтι¢ נυѕт єχнαυѕтє∂ wrote: "Anyone have any tips for writing fight scenes?"

Well, I think that the key to write fight scenes is adrenaline. Write quickly. Don't explain too much..."

i'm also going to have to deal with a fight/chase scene and this is great advice, though my problem is that i have trouble imagining things like that. even when i read books by other people and someone is fighting, my mind is just like "ok, i have no idea what's going on", lol.

if anyone has some more tips, it would be very much appreciated! <3

maybe watch some fight scenes from movies?

I'm really bad at writing emotional scenes. Like really bad. And I've reached one of the saddest parts in my story but when I reread it, it just seemed so casual. Any advice?

Niharika wrote: "I'm really bad at writing emotional scenes. Like really bad. And I've reached one of the saddest parts in my story but when I reread it, it just seemed so casual. Any advice?"

I don't know if that helpes, but I searched it a little and I found a post about it!

https://steemit.com/writing/@michelle...

And I also found a pin which I found really usefull.

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/AccWbsAQ...

Please let me know if they helped :)

Lady Night wrote: "Niharika wrote: "I'm really bad at writing emotional scenes. Like really bad. And I've reached one of the saddest parts in my story but when I reread it, it just seemed so casual. Any advice?"

I d..."

Thanks a lot! It's way more clearer to me now.

I'm going to give some advice for some people that I've seen do this. I know that we're all different ages and some of us haven't learned this yet, so I wanted to give a lesson on grammar. Don't put two dialogues from different people in one paragraph. Once a new person speaks, it starts a new paragraph.

Here's an example (excuse the mediocre writing):

"So...what's the big deal?" Clover said as she stared at a beetle crawling across the floor, clearly uninterested.

Claire let out an exasperated sigh and cried, "This is your whole future! You always act like it doesn't matter, but you know how much this means for you."

"You don't get to decide what's best or not best for me! It's my life and my choice. I can live in a dumpster if I want and that's none of your business," Clover said, teeth clenched.

She pointed to the door. "Then go live in a dumpster. Apparently it's not my problem."



that was a heated conversation. let's stop it before those two kill each other- O.O

but hopefully you guys can understand. the older people already know this, but i just wanted to make sure that the younger folks understood since i've seen it in some writing here.

alice仙境 wrote: "I'm going to give some advice for some people that I've seen do this. I know that we're all different ages and some of us haven't learned this yet, so I wanted to give a lesson on grammar. Don't pu..."

Thanks, Alice! I definitely gotta start now!

Niharika wrote: "alice仙境 wrote: "I'm going to give some advice for some people that I've seen do this. I know that we're all different ages and some of us haven't learned this yet, so I wanted to give a lesson on g..."

yw! :))

Usually, the author will write the book and in the end, a name will pop up in their head which seems just right.

Can anyone offer some advice on how to move past the beginning or the first five-ish chapters? This is something I find happens to me whenever I try to write a longer piece like a novella or novel. I always have such fun writing the beginning but then I get stuck and the story feels like it doesn’t work anymore or a new “better” idea will come along.

Natalie wrote: "Can anyone offer some advice on how to move past the beginning or the first five-ish chapters? This is something I find happens to me whenever I try to write a longer piece like a novella or novel...."

Take a break from the book and write short stories so they don't distract you but offer you a way to revive. Then go back to your story with a clear mind and a better mindset.

Natalie wrote: "Can anyone offer some advice on how to move past the beginning or the first five-ish chapters? This is something I find happens to me whenever I try to write a longer piece like a novella or novel...."

I know this is kind of late but I wanted to chip in. Niharika is totally right but if you want to continue on the story to prevent losing steam, you can always skip ahead. Not my cup of tea but some people do it when they lack inspo.

i have a question, how much description do you guys like in a scene that is mostly dialogue?

Mostly dialogue. Keep descriptions to those talking. Expression, mannerisms, etc. so the reader can feel the emotional connection.

This question is for the mods. Could you delete the topic Queen Pluto+Niharika?

Does anyone have advise for planning double POVs. Like the characters are both working on their own things, but it's related and they cross paths. But how would you go about making sure their stories balance each other out, and so that it's not two different stories squished into one book.

Any tips?

maybe referencing the other character in each POV? It doesnt have to be big, just writing that they locked eye contact with someone, and briefly describe them?

also I would recommend making sure you dont have the separate POV's for too long, because then it might feel like two separate stories.

hope this helps! :3

Arhazo wrote: "Does anyone have advise for planning double POVs. Like the characters are both working on their own things, but it's related and they cross paths. But how would you go about making sure their stori..."

You could read books with the same sort of POVs. Not very helpful but all I've got

☆ Kelsie ~ in libras, libertas ☆ wrote: "maybe referencing the other character in each POV? It doesnt have to be big, just writing that they locked eye contact with someone, and briefly describe them?

also I would recommend making sure ..."


Thanks! They d reference each other a lot, but I feel like their individual goals don't mesh well with the whole story arc. I feel like I'm nearly bordering two different stories in one book. Like I need each of their plot lines to make sense to the overall story otherwise it will feel sooo separate. Maybe the issue is I have to figure out the plot or something. I'm not sure :/

i would figure out more how they will connect together before you start writing, otherwise it'll become two separate stories instead

hi. so um, this isn't really anything that needs a poll, cause yea. but im writing 70 chapter wattpad book (45 so far) but i've recently stopped because its a wedding. and idk how to write wedding scenes. so could someone give me tips or write it for me? (ill give creds) lmk if you need details other than these:
- The Bride's Name is Kassidy Miller
- Groom's name is Jace McAsliter
- They're parents of twins
- had been dating for a year
- this book will be a series
- kassidy hates her dad
- jace hates kassidy's dad
- jace has a brother who is married already, the wife of his brother's name is Eliana, and they have a kid named jackson
- kassidy has one older sister and one older brother; Bailey and Jacob
- and last but not least, jace has a younger sister who is 18, bisexual, and lives with jace and kassidy

what outcome do you want from this scene? what mood do you want- happy? sad? tense?

how do you write a book on google docs? like how do you format it???

times new roman font, size 12, double spaced, and ofc indent all new paragraphs

hope that helps!