The Writing Thread

[Rungle]

This is a VERY rough draft of a story I've been working on.
Please tell me what you think, even if bad critisism

I am still contipating on an antagonist.

As the Dagon took over the netherlands, I want somebody who survived their attack to serve a new old god that erases people from existance.
The cult leaders goal being to lure people to commit ritualistic suicide that erases them from reality itself, and the god feeds on their place in reality.

People who remembered these people will go mad as they cannot fathom "Key memories" without them, opening a way for the cult to lure them too.

The Cult leader's goal is not only to feed the entity, but also grant immunity he deems worthy, which are people who hold old world values and are openly against the Dagon Invasion. Getting rid of everyone who "Betrayed" this country.


Thinking about changing the title to: Everybody Wants to Live.

 

[DogZero]

Here is my Jackalopes story for May.

This months prompt was

"God Bless America, question, a statement of fact, or a demand?"

 

[Scream Aim Fire]

Call me curious; what genres do you guys like to wrIte? Have a preference for Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Action, Comedy, etc.?

I've got a story of my own in the works; main issue is, I know what I want to write, but no idea on that actual main plotline as of yet. It was meant to be something of a science fantasy/urban fantasy setting, focusing on fighting mutants and monsters in a modern world akin to the World of Darkness and similar, but I have no real idea on how to set everything up? I've got some ideas that I want to run, if anyone is willing to give advice.

Anything of you guys ever had that issue, of getting an idea with no clue on actually developing it? Anyone got advice for setting up a science/urban fantasy setting?

 

[BrunoMattei]

Horror just because it gives you the most opportunities to tell any kind of story.

 

[Tablet County]

Call me curious; what genres do you guys like to wrIte? Have a preference for Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Action, Comedy, etc.?

Sci-fi/fantasy due to my being a faggot. Giant robot shit due to my being an autist.
Lately I've been into cyberpunk and that weird genre of sci-fi that presents itself as fantasy but all the "magic" is just sufficiently-advanced technology.

Anything of you guys ever had that issue, of getting an idea with no clue on actually developing it?

All the time.

 

[Commissar Fuklaw]

Fuck I am terrible with these questions.

Spoiler

I'd say I write adventure stories that are Science Fantasy? But inside this science fantasy/adventure framework I have everything under the sun like romance, drama, comedy, and commonly find myself adding a lot of horror elements.

Lately I've been into cyberpunk and that weird genre of sci-fi that presents itself as fantasy but all the "magic" is just sufficiently-advanced technology.

Exactly this. When I first started my early stories were straight fantasy and I found this limiting. Sci-fi and Fantasy are two sides of the same coin so it wasn't that hard for me to take all of the tropes I enjoy from fantasy and translate that over to a soft sci-fi setting. Just less stupid character and location names, guns instead of swords, aircraft instead of horses and spaceships instead of wooden ships.

I've got a story of my own in the works; main issue is, I know what I want to write, but no idea on that actual main plotline as of yet. It was meant to be something of a science fantasy/urban fantasy setting, focusing on fighting mutants and monsters in a modern world akin to the World of Darkness and similar, but I have no real idea on how to set everything up? I've got some ideas that I want to run, if anyone is willing to give advice.

Honest to God, just start writing. There's a good chance you'll write yourself into it. I had 3 ideas I wanted to explore and 1 dialogue sentence in my head when I started my main series and man, that first book was completely different to what I thought it was going to be. It took me to so many different and surprising places as I progressed. When I got to about 75% done, couldn't figure out the ending so I went back and edited it, adding in new scenes and chapters and really filling out the world. That 75% turned out to be closer to 50% when I was able to continue by building on what came earlier and understanding the world, characters and what story I was trying to tell by that point.

I'm not a pure pantser, I'll have plot points I want to reach, and I'll open up Google Keep and write out single sentences of what's coming up in the next chapter so I know how to direct the story.

I personally cannot stand sitting down to world build. When I was a kid I used to be able to make maps and stuff, but now, it's straight plot for the first draft. A>B>C>D, and then I'll go back and figure it out and give it that depth. That's how I like to work, anyway.

 

[Rungle]

Call me curious; what genres do you guys like to wrIte? Have a preference for Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Action, Comedy, etc.?

I've got a story of my own in the works; main issue is, I know what I want to write, but no idea on that actual main plotline as of yet. It was meant to be something of a science fantasy/urban fantasy setting, focusing on fighting mutants and monsters in a modern world akin to the World of Darkness and similar, but I have no real idea on how to set everything up? I've got some ideas that I want to run, if anyone is willing to give advice.

Anything of you guys ever had that issue, of getting an idea with no clue on actually developing it? Anyone got advice for setting up a science/urban fantasy setting?

I like horror and sometimes like to tip my foot in psychological horror.
Horror works best in a short story format as you do not have to think about characters and backstory.
You can instantly write about the horror in question without people waiting for the payoff.
Only a few can really captivate a horror longterm.

 

[BrunoMattei]

I like horror and sometimes like to tip my foot in psychological horror.
Horror works best in a short story format as you do not have to think about characters and backstory.
You can instantly write about the horror in question without people waiting for the payoff.
Only a few can really captivate a horror longterm.

You could write horror in any format. You can totally and completely do flash fiction or a "Baby shoes for sale. Never worn." Approach to it. Thomas Ligotti said it best:

"And one thing we know is real: horror. It is so real, in fact, that we cannot be sure it could not exist without us. Yes, it needs our imaginations and our consciousness, but it does not ask or require our consent to use them. Indeed, horror operates with complete autonomy. Generating ontological havoc, it is mephitic foam upon which our lives merely float. And, ultimately, we must face up to it: Horror is more real than we are." Ligotti, Conspiracy Against the Human Race.

Great book. Probably the definitive "horror as philosophy" book espousing the nihilism of Schopenhauer and Lovecraft.

 

[Scream Aim Fire]

Horror just because it gives you the most opportunities to tell any kind of story.

I like horror and sometimes like to tip my foot in psychological horror.
Horror works best in a short story format as you do not have to think about characters and backstory.
You can instantly write about the horror in question without people waiting for the payoff.
Only a few can really captivate a horror longterm.

You could write horror in any format. You can totally and completely do flash fiction or a "Baby shoes for sale. Never worn." Approach to it. Thomas Ligotti said it best:

"And one thing we know is real: horror. It is so real, in fact, that we cannot be sure it could not exist without us. Yes, it needs our imaginations and our consciousness, but it does not ask or require our consent to use them. Indeed, horror operates with complete autonomy. Generating ontological havoc, it is mephitic foam upon which our lives merely float. And, ultimately, we must face up to it: Horror is more real than we are." Ligotti, Conspiracy Against the Human Race.

Great book. Probably the definitive "horror as philosophy" book espousing the nihilism of Schopenhauer and Lovecraft.

Never was great with horror myself; I'm fond of reading it, but actually making a solid horror story is something I struggle with, I lean more towards Action/Adventure myself.

Sci-fi/fantasy due to my being a faggot. Giant robot shit due to my being an autist.
Lately I've been into cyberpunk and that weird genre of sci-fi that presents itself as fantasy but all the "magic" is just sufficiently-advanced technology.

Also @Commissar Fuklaw:

That basically exactly it with my writing as well; straight fantasy is cool, but it can be a bit limiting when writing stories, as there only so much you can really do with it without having to dip into other kinds of settings. Sci-Fi feels like a natural fit, frankly.

Funnily enough, Commissar, I tend to be the opposite; I have a tendency to do too much worldbuilding, often going over every little detail, down to crap most people probably wouldn't even care about, like the names of side characters or the specifics of certain weapons and such.

 

[Commissar Fuklaw]

Funnily enough, Commissar, I tend to be the opposite; I have a tendency to do too much worldbuilding, often going over every little detail, down to crap most people probably wouldn't even care about, like the names of side characters or the specifics of certain weapons and such.

Because of this do you feel the need to use everything you've written down? I think a lot of writers get stuck in this procrastination trap and then feel paralysed when it comes to actually telling a story.

I mean, Fire and Blood is interesting background material if you're into it, but it's not ASOIAF which is the actual story everyone wants.

 

[Scream Aim Fire]

Because of this do you feel the need to use everything you've written down? I think a lot of writers get stuck in this procrastination trap and then feel paralysed when it comes to actually telling a story.

I mean, Fire and Blood is interesting background material if you're into it, but it's not ASOIAF which is the actual story everyone wants.

Well, not always everything; there's been points where some things just couldn't make the cut, and I had to scrap them for whatever reason. I do like to keep the scrapped parts, though; like you said, writing a story can often result in it taking plenty of unexpected turns and such, and some of the various ideas that I create can sometimes come back in interesting ways. Either that, or I can at least recycle the various ideas I got for other works, if possible.

 

[Scream Aim Fire]

Double-post, but I've got another question for you guys:

Does anyone here have tips for character creation? Like, any sites or such that you guys use for ideas? I've got a pair of ideas for the M.C. of my current story, but I'm stuck between one that's got more overall ideas vs. one that's much more entertaining to use and write in general; what would you guys focus on in writing?

 

[BrunoMattei]

Double-post, but I've got another question for you guys:

Does anyone here have tips for character creation? Like, any sites or such that you guys use for ideas? I've got a pair of ideas for the M.C. of my current story, but I'm stuck between one that's got more overall ideas vs. one that's much more entertaining to use and write in general; what would you guys focus on in writing?

I see this when people are just starting and they think there needs to be a guide and rules to follow. I did as well when I first started. No. Just write. Don't think "What is the story, character names, motivation, the moral, blah blah blah." It doesn't matter. Just write. You will figure it out as you go.

 

[Scream Aim Fire]

I see this when people are just starting and they think there needs to be a guide and rules to follow. I did as well when I first started. No. Just write. Don't think "What is the story, character names, motivation, the moral, blah blah blah." It doesn't matter. Just write. You will figure it out as you go.

Yeah, I get what you mean; it's been a long time since I really sat down and tried to write an actual story, so it's something that's taking quite a bit of time getting used to again. I was just curious on how everyone else writes, since everyone is different, after all.

 

[Commissar Fuklaw]

I'll start off with a personality trope or character from other media and have them in my mind as a base to write with. As I go I'll find their unique voice, quirks and motivations and hone that over editing passes so they become their own character.

A really good tip is to give them a secret that only they know which gives you an anchor point to derive their personality from, so even single page characters have a little more depth.

 

[MsFrancisFoster]

Yeah, I get what you mean; it's been a long time since I really sat down and tried to write an actual story, so it's something that's taking quite a bit of time getting used to again. I was just curious on how everyone else writes, since everyone is different, after all.

Personally? I write when the motivation strikes. Then I just write whatever idea I have bouncing around in my head. No editing, no checking spelling, no checking grammar, not caring how it sounds or if there's obvious plot holes or anything. Just go with the flow stuff. I find I can pump out at least four to six chapters of something like that. It's about then I'll stop, go over it to refine it, rinse and repeat as needed. Planning anything out ruins my motivation to get anything written. I think it's the tedium of the process that makes me dislike it, but different strokes for different folks.

 

[BrunoMattei]

Personally? I write when the motivation strikes. Then I just write whatever idea I have bouncing around in my head. No editing, no checking spelling, no checking grammar, not caring how it sounds or if there's obvious plot holes or anything. Just go with the flow stuff. I find I can pump out at least four to six chapters of something like that. It's about then I'll stop, go over it to refine it, rinse and repeat as needed. Planning anything out ruins my motivation to get anything written. I think it's the tedium of the process that makes me dislike it, but different strokes for different folks.

Same. I mostly write when I enter manic periods and any note I have laying around or if inspiration strikes I just go. There's no story outline or anything but a vague idea of where it's all going.

I only recommend software that tracks characters and shit if you're writing a Gravity's Rainbow or some LOTR abortion.

 

[Tablet County]

Personally? I write when the motivation strikes. Then I just write whatever idea I have bouncing around in my head. No editing, no checking spelling, no checking grammar, not caring how it sounds or if there's obvious plot holes or anything. Just go with the flow stuff. I find I can pump out at least four to six chapters of something like that. It's about then I'll stop, go over it to refine it, rinse and repeat as needed. Planning anything out ruins my motivation to get anything written. I think it's the tedium of the process that makes me dislike it, but different strokes for different folks.

I just can't do that. I too sort of fall out of love with an idea if I think too hard about it, but I'm too self-conscious of how my writing looks, or whether the plot will make sense to pants it. I guess I have to recondition myself to not care if my rough drafts look like shit.

 

[BrunoMattei]

I just can't do that. I too sort of fall out of love with an idea if I think too hard about it, but I'm too self-conscious of how my writing looks, or whether the plot will make sense to pants it. I guess I have to recondition myself to not care if my rough drafts look like shit.

Try writing a little bit at a time. Just a sentence. Or an idea. Keep going until paragraphs and etc. David Lynch gets ideas through meditation and once you keep writing or doing whatever creative thing you're doing will just eventually align and you'll figure out what ideas work with each other and which ideas are just bad.

Don't worry about writing perfectly because everyone sucks when they start doing anything creative. You will eventually figure it out.

 

[Commissar Fuklaw]

As philosophical giant Ronnie Coleman says:

Ain't nuthin' to it but ta do it

I'm constantly surprised that every time I'm having an off day, thinking this is the worst, most unsalvagable shit I've ever written because I'm stuck at a part and trying to brute force my way through, that it's fine, it's not bad at all. I don't think I'll ever stop being surprised.