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Wed Dec 04, 2019 7:29 pm
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Softballgirl333 says...



Hello Everyone!

Over the years I have been writing, I have always tried to write a short story or a Novel, but I can't seem to quite make them long enough. I can have an idea to write a whole book, but I will tell the story in a page. A short story may end up being a paragraph. I just seem to rush everything, and I don't really know what to do. Any Advice?

Thanks,
SBG
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Thu Dec 05, 2019 12:31 am
LadyMysterio says...



Hello!
Here are a few ideas that helped me.
Try planning out your story, I use the Pixar story formula.

Once upon a time there was:
everyday:
one day:
because of that:
because of that:
Until finally:

You can plan out the basics on you story and then fill the what happens to get from one point to another.

Try to exagerate, add to or elongate scenes, not too much though otherwise it drags on.
Like instead of 'she entered the pub', put 'she slowly edged into the pub ,careful to stay out of the way of the loud patrons.'

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Thu Dec 05, 2019 12:34 pm
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Softballgirl333 says...



Hello LadyMysterio!

Thank you so much for your feedback, and I will try this format out!
~Let your smile change the world, but don't let the world change your smile.~ <3
  





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Thu Dec 05, 2019 1:39 pm
LittleLee says...



This is a problem I've had! I still find myself shortening things.
The thing is, just read other work and look at how it's done. Try to conjure exactly what you're thinking into a mental image that you describe with clarity. And remember that the reader doesn't know what you do, so explain everything. Don't leave any loose ends.
DM me for further help, I'd be happy to assist any way I can.
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Thu Dec 05, 2019 2:45 pm
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niteowl says...



Some really good articles I find helpful

viewtopic.php?f=150&t=107686-This is great for showing how a simple thought can be turned into a more fleshed out plot.

viewtopic.php?f=150&t=107713-This one helps you see what "size" idea you have. It's possible your "novel" idea is actually too simple to be a novel idea and would make a better short story. It also suggests ways you can add complexity to a shorter idea.

viewtopic.php?f=150&t=78281-This talks about when you should switch from summary (what you're probably doing if your story is only a paragraph long) to scene (a more in-depth and descriptive look at pivotal moments).

viewtopic.php?f=150&t=65210-more detail on pacing

Another good tip I am shamelessly stealing from a songwriting course I took: the "Six Best Friends"-Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why. If you have a short scene, you can think about all those details and find which ones are interesting. I'm going to pick on @LadyMysterio's idea here of "a girl walks into a bar" because it's a good kernel. Lots of weird things can happen in bars.

Who-I'll assume the girl is our MC. Think about her personality, her family background, her age, her interests. Also think about who else she will interact with. Are her friends there? Does she meet someone unexpected from her past? Is she in love with the bartender? What do we know about the potential other characters?

What-So she walks into the bar and then what? Is she meeting someone? Does she talk to the bartender? What drink does she order? You might want to come back to this once you've explored the other "W's".

When-A pub at noon is going to feel different than the same pub at midnight, or a regular weeknight versus a weekend. A sports bar during a big game is going to be nuts. Ditto for a major holiday. Time of year can also have an effect on what happens. Lots of possibilities here. If she's there to meet someone at 9, does she get there at 8:30 or 9 sharp or fashionably late at 9:15?

Where-Okay, so we know it's "a bar", but beyond that what do we know? Is it a dive-y place or more swanky? Is it a sports bar with big TVs, or is it a crowded nightclub? Is it in a tourist-y area or just around the corner from where our MC lives? Is it a familiar place to her, or is she in a foreign country? Is there anything interesting about the walls, the seating, the food, the drinks?

How-How does she walk in? Is she nervously looking around because she's never been there before? Or is she strolling in to meet her friends who are regulars? To me this isn't the most interesting question on this prompt, but on another idea it could be crucial.

Why-Okay so this is the big one. Why is she walking into this bar? Is she waiting for a date? Is she new in town and wants to check out the local hot spot? Is she meeting a friend to catch up? I know I got to it last here, but I would establish this first before going into the other W's.

As you can see, thinking about these offer a lot of possibilities for expansion. Hope that helps!
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Thu Dec 05, 2019 2:53 pm
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Softballgirl333 says...



@niteowl

Oh my gosh thank you so much. I will make sure to come back to this to read all of the articles later. This was extremely helpful to me, so thank you again! I really appreciate it.
~Let your smile change the world, but don't let the world change your smile.~ <3
  








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