Young Writers Society

All right - so I've noticed a lot of times storybook writers have one of these problems:

1 - They can't get the storybook started.
2 - They can't keep the storybook moving at a decent pace
3 - They end up posting very short, undetailed posts just to post.

Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but when I'm in a storybook I want something fast paced and fun to write, then doesn't get boring. And I don't think one or two sentence posts should be allowed unless you're just discussing the storybook, and that should then be done in a discussion thread.

So here are a few suggestions I have for starting, or posting on storybooks.

1 - Make sure you have a plot
Don't start a storybook without at least a few general plot ideas. When you do this, it easily becomes to chaotic to continue, and people drop out. Once a few key people drop out, the storybook becomes pointless.

2 - Put you character into the story
Sometimes you may have trouble figuring out where to put your character in so they're engaging with someone. We're all guilty of posting something along the lines of "someone bring me in please?" Instead of doing this, try to put your character anywhere. In a room with another group of characters that are already talking, walking down the hallway toward another character, etc etc. And if none of that works, PM someone else in the storybook and ask them to engage with your character, instead of clogging up the storybook with "bring me in" posts.

3 - Post longer posts
Each post you make should be, at the least, one paragraph long. If that's the case, it should be a standard, 4-7 sentence paragraph. Even then, this is still a VERY short post. If you're at a loss for what to post, add in descriptions. This is good writing practice, and gives others an idea of how you're viewing the setting.


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I'll be adding more as I think of them - feel free to post your own!

~Bella Bambina~

This is an extremely helpful topic, as I've seen many of these problems occurring often. Bella pointed out pretty much all of the key points above. But, if I may add to this...

1. Don't push other people/characters out. Don't ignore their posts or go against what they post, even if you don't think that their character will fit in with the plot once it gets going. Or if you just don't like their character. You really never know, they could come back and be one of the key people.

2. Don't just disappear. If you're dropping out of a storybook, don't just suddenly stop posting. Post it in the discussion thread or PM the creator of the storybook and let them know you're leaving so that the other people don't have to drag around a character whose owner stopped posting.

3. If there's already a set plot that's going strongly, don't have your character go out and do something completely different that doesn't go with the plot. Because chances are, you won't be able to keep doing what you're doing and then you'll have to find your way back with the other characters or rely on someone else to bring you back in. Of course, there are some exceptions and that's for you to decide.

That's all I can think of at the moment. Good thread, Bella!

-May

omg Bella is so plushy!! Thanks Bella this is very helpful :]]

-Max

I've noticed that some people have trouble getting back into a storybook when they have been gone for a while. Please post any tips you have.

1. If your character is already involved with other characters, post your character's thoughts on the other characters actions. People will usually start interacting their character with yours and it will get easier to post.

2.If your character isn't involved the only advice I can give you is get him/her involved immediately!! It may leave a gap in what your character has been doing, but that shouldn't make a whole lot of difference.

I think this is where this tip goes...


1) Read the previous post THROUGHLY before you post. This happened to one storybook that I'm in and we had to start all over because things got to confusing.

That's my only tip. Ciao!

-Tex

I believe I have one or two, or maybe more ^_^

1) I believe this coincides slightly with one of Maybe's tips: don't back to back post. It is quite annoying to the other readers, pushes the rest of the people out of the storybook, and you end up with storybook's that are 6 pages long that haven't gotten anywhere. If you have something to say that could take a bit of explanation between you and one character, there is no reason you can't have longer posts, especially if your BTB(back to back) posts are about your character loving another. The main characters in the best stories always fall in love over time.

2) God Modding Is Not Just A Perfect Character!!! Unfortunately, it is widely believed that "God-Modding" is only done by making a perfect character of which cannot be beaten, killed, or so on. Due to the fact that a lot of storybookers believe that a "god-mod" is a character whom is perfect, people make imperfect characters yet still rush them into situations bearing impossible odds that a normal human being could never beat, and better yet, they get rid of the rest of the storybookers to steal the limelight. People, that is God-Modding! This may be a storybook, and it may be fiction, but you still must make it believable. You must remember that your character cannot endure any more than you could if the situation were actually happening, magic or no.

That's all I have for now, enjoy!

Characters, characters? Is that all of it? Why can't you people stop
tell stories?

You are hurting me with all of this. I have no story of my own. Just get off of my back.

Stori- I'm not sure if you're joking or completely serious. If you are joking then, yes, I'm a bit slow today.

If you aren't, we weren't talking about you. Tons of storybook's get stuck, and we're just writing down tips for people to use so as to avoid them getting stuck. We aren't singling anyone out, and certainly not a good writer like yourself.

Hm... some things I've noticed in my (quite) extensive Storybooking experience.

One- try to leave your posts open so that other players can decide where to go with it.

If you leave the others all going "huh?" then everybody's going to be too shy to post and you'll end up posting again. If you want to nudge the story in a certain direction, leave a little note at the end on what you might like to happen. Be warned, it won't always be so. The charm of the storybook is that it is not a one-man-show and other players can twist your plot beautifully. So let them, and it'll be all the more enjoyable.

Two- Make their relationships with other characters interesting.

Remember that your character is supposed to be realistic, and real people like and dislike, fancy and can't stand others. When I say relationships, I don't mean only love, I also mean, think for a moment who your character is closest to, who their rivals are, etc. Give them different dimensions. If they would have petty arguments with another character in real life then let them have petty arguments in the Storybook.

Three- Take other people into account.

Example: if the player above me writes that their character is having an emotional breakdown and really needs somebody, is my next post going to be to go to that bar where there are three other characters, without helping the player above get there too? Especially with new players, make sure you're considerate about looking after others' characters as well as your own. Keep them in the game.

And that's about it. Hope I've helped!

-Stella x

I've noticed this one.

People seem to be intimidated by the idea of puppeting someone else's character. Storybooks tend to die quite quick when everyone is waiting for everyone else's response.

Don't worry about getting the other character perfectly right, or offending their creator. The idea is that lots of people work on a story book, which means lots of people contribute to the development of its characters.


Although, in the same point, don't get offended or kick off if someone misinterprets your character - nobody will ever write about you again and you'll drift out of the story.

Hm, every storybook I've been in dies after a few days. I think the longest has been a little over a week. But then again I've only been a member of the YWS since late December. At the same time these other people have been members for months so they should have learned to warn us before they stop posting in a storybook. It does get kind of frustrating to have people stop posting abruptly without notice.

Sometimes everybody except me participating in the storybook just stops existing.

Well, sometimes some people do post, and then whole thing is between two or three people. Then the others get thrown out, because they can't find a way in. I know I have experienced this before.

This thread is really good.

Another thing that I've noticed is that some people tend to say,
Yeah! I'm in. I'll post a profile later
Then later never comes...

It's annoying because you think, wow there's a lot of interest in this! But then you end up with, like, 3 character profiles...

Skins, I know what you mean. You're sitting there thinking Later? When's later? A few hours? A day? A weeks? Weeks, or months? Then you're wondering if you can just start, or if you are going to offend the person when they decide to post, or even if they are going to post.

LOVE --ULTRAVIOLET

I hate when storybook titles say "new characters please" when there is 101 posts and they are not still accepting. I am not sure if there is a way to change the title after publishing it. But, if there is a way PLEASE stop.
A. S.