Young Writers Society

I think I'm having a problem here....I always start off stories and end up getting about four or five pages before I get completly bored. I've tried to read literary advice and construcion books for writing but nothing seems to help. I would think this is writers block, but it's been this way for years. I really enjoy writing and I like short stories, but I'd like to write a novel now and I can't seem to get very far.
Any advice is greatly appreciated,

**Livingintheoc**

Moving to Writing Tips.

Have you tried planning out the plot first?

It always helps me to plan out the plot and get an idea of how my characters act and will devolp through the story

That happens to me alot...that is when I dont have writers block *rolls eyes* which I have. Anyway what I do is write about something I would want to write about or suddenly surprise the reader with something to keep the story going. Here's an example of what I'm talking about: “This here is my favorite part of the manor,” Jessie informed me, opening a glass door. Sunlight shown through so brightly that I had to cover my eyes as he pulled me through the opening.
I found myself standing outside in a woodsy type place. There were trees, a creek, a stone path, and birds singing. It was absolutely beautiful.
“It is a nice place do not you agree?” my husband asked, pulling me into his arms. It was then that I noticed how tanned he was, which was weird since he seemed to be rich. Why would he be outside enough to tan? I removed the thought from my mind saying, “Yes, it is…did your family live here?”
This question seemed to startle him. It was not something he was prepared for. Either way he answered, “Yes, they did.”
“What happened to them…I do not mean to pry, but I do not know anything about you,” I told him. “I would really like to know more about you.”
“They were killed in a fire when I was fifteen years…I have pretty much lived alone ever since then,” Jessie answered, hugging me tightly. “Anything else you want to know about them?” The tone of his voice told me that it was time to quit talking of them.
“Not right now.”
We stood in silence for a moment. I was still dressed in my wedding dress while he wore only his trousers. “Can we take a walk down that path?” I asked, breaking the silence.
He smiled saying, “All right.” Paused. “But on one condition.”
“What is that?” I really did not want to know.
“You let me kiss you anytime I want to without putting up a struggle.”
What harm could a kiss cause? Do not answer that. I knew what it could lead to. Either way I agreed.


Chapter Seven:

I wandered up the steps that my husband had not shown me. Alone in the huge Lafayette Manor, I looked for something to keep me busy. Jessie had gone out, but would not tell me why or where he was going. So, I searched for something to keep me from thinking too much about it.
I had been in the library looking for something to read, but when I pulled out a book that looked interesting, a wall opened, revealing a dark stairwell. Curiosity led me to the stairwell that I was wandering up. Since it was dark, I had found a lantern in one corner and began my way up.
The steps seemed to last forever, until finally I came upon a door. I reached for the knob. Then, hesitated once my hand clutched the knob. There was no way of having known what I would find behind this hidden door. Swallowing back the fear of what I might find, I turned the knob.
As if the door had been recently opened, the knob turned easily, and the door swung open. I took a step in so that the light from the lantern would spread across the room.
The room was very large. The walls were filled with portraits of people; at one end the paintings looked very old, but the ones closer to the door were newer. I crossed the room to the last picture to study it, and see of who it was.
The lantern fell from my hands to the ground as I gasped. The picture was of Jessie and myself. We were standing side by side in our wedding clothes. There was no way that someone could have painted it over night. This was very strange. Even stranger was the fact that when I picked up the lantern from off the floor, something caught my eye.
I crossed the room to a large table that stretched from one side of the room to the other. What it was that caught my attention is unknown, but when I got there, I wished that I had not have. For on one end of this table, was covered with paintings and sketches of me at all ages. There were birth certificates, and all different kinds of records in my name. Something told me that my meeting Jessie Lafayette was not by accident. The other end of the table had weapons of all kinds spread across it. Along with sketches of all me ex betroths’.


This is part of the latest book i've finished. If you want to read more to get more help on keeping the story going, go to the Romance Fiction forum and look for Love is Only the Beginning. If you need anymore help send me an email or private message.

Usually, I just plan out the entire story in my head before I begin- which usually takes up to about two weeks. Otherwise, there's really no where for you to go...

I'm the same way. For now, I've basically given up and stuck to poetry and the occasional short story. Or I might come back to something after a loooooooooooong time. I'm sorry, but I don't have any real suggestions.

I'm exactly the same. I'm trying a novel now and it's going well, the furthest I've ever got. I think this time it's more original and interesting to me, plus I know where I'm going with it. So I think if you want to continue with your novel, have a really sharp turn that surprises you and gets you interested again. And probably plot it out a bit.

Some tips...

• Write something you love. Believe me; I have more patience than you obviously, but I get bored with stories I hate.
  
• Consider each chapter a story. That way, each chapter will be about 4 pages long. It's just with the same characters.
  
• Get an outline. Now.
  
• Stick with short stories?

My advice is to not try and write something you don't absolutely love.