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How to set up story settings? And more.

Crystal

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I am looking for some suggestions about how to develop a storyline. I can't say I can write. What I can do at the time being is just to scrape down one character or one episode on my mind. I don't know how to turn a sketch into a colorful painting, or how to put all the sketches together into something good enough to read. Basically, to tell the truth, I don't know anything about how to make up/develop a good story out of all the fragmentary pieces. Now, I just couldn't tolerate my being incapability about this.

I have found the following two threads that mentioned something about how to start writing for a beginner. But those two are not what I need and eager to know at the moment.

So you want to write http://forums.thebookforum.com/showthread.php?t=6691
& Newbie Writer Help!!! http://forums.thebookforum.com/showthread.php?t=6108


So, any advices to a beginner about writing, please? I remembered Ell once mentioned a book, On Writing, in some thread. But just hope to get some extra bonuses here. By the way, advices that I have saved here include: reading more and writing, writing, writing. I think I need a lot more constructive and/or specific ones, seriously.
 
If I may falsly quote your signature, I advize you to reconsider your signature to the following: "To be a writer, imagine being this or that. Disturb your mind with seeking".
 
However I tried to image myself as a man character, the imagination just blocked all the brain cells. Wait, but that didn't appear to be the answers to my question. How to arrange all the imaginations or images together orderly and reasonally is what I want to know.:)
 
Yes, the best advice is just to write what you feel. Start at the beginning, whatever that may be, and as soon as you've written the first line, hopefully the rest will just flow. When it does, go with it to see where it takes you.
 
sirmyk said:
Orderly sometimes produces boredom. Just write and see what happens.
Shaun said:
Yes, the best advice is just to write what you feel. Start at the beginning, whatever that may be, and as soon as you've written the first line, hopefully the rest will just flow. When it does, go with it to see where it takes you.

Is that so? Seems like I can only start from writing the short stories. Emm, in my stories, there are only characters, and conversations, but no settings/cirumstances/backgrounds/etc.

So, how you (writers and authours) select or make up the acceptable story settings for your characters? Or your characters have already selected their own living place when they were born in your mind?


Doug Johnson said:
If it's interesting, write it down. If it's boring, remove it. If it's good, edit it until it's great.

I understand what you mean. But, .................. whether it is interesting depends on readers. To me, the story may sound like interesting, but I am not certain whether it could be to others. Well, actually, I doubted if what came to me could be original. (haha, too ambitious:p )
 
Crystal said:
Is that so? Seems like I can only start from writing the short stories. Emm, in my stories, there are only characters, and conversations, but no settings/cirumstances/backgrounds/etc.

During conversations allow the characters to interact with their environment and each other.

To me, the story may sound like interesting, but I am not certain whether it could be to others.

I wrote something recently and, to be honest, I know that not many people would be interested in putting a shoe on a horse. The trick is to make the words exciting so that the reader appreciates it whether they are interested or not and, with it being exciting then they will be interested.
 
There can be beauty in the most mundane if one chooses to see it. If as a writer you can not convey the beauty of what would at first appear to be something dull then maybe you're not a writer? Without double checking I believe I'm paraphrasing Stephen King in the second sentence.
 
Stewart said:
During conversations allow the characters to interact with their environment and each other.

Emm.

Stewart said:
The trick is to make the words exciting so that the reader appreciates it whether they are interested or not and, with it being exciting then they will be interested.

When can't make a word sound exciting, just felt like a below-mediocre. Frustrating, but had to move on.
 
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