Guide: How to Turn Ideas into a Story
Guide: Starting a New (Long Fiction) Story
Guide: Filling in the Story Between Known Events
Guide: How to Outline a Plot
Basic Story Structure
Beginning a New Story
How to Move a Story Forward
Plot Driven vs Character Driven Stories
Understanding Goals and Conflict
Literary Fiction vs Genre Fiction
Scene Lists
Making a Timeline for Your Story
The Main Timeline, Back Story, and the Prologue
Story Arc (Main Plot) vs Subplot
Subplot Shouldn’t Come Before Main Plot (and Why Structure Matters)
Plot Before Subplot
Fleshing Out Plot Ideas
What is a Story Outline and Why Do I Need One?
Creating a Detailed Story Outline
Turning a Barrage of Ideas into a Plot
How to Turn Ideas into a Story
How to Move a Story Forward
Finding a Story in Characters and Setting
Finding a Plot to Go with Characters/Setting
Where to Find Story Ideas
Coming Up with Ideas and Plot
Coming Up with Plot Twists
How to Refocus a Plot
Can Come Up with a Back Story but No Plot
Avoid Revealing Back Story Too Soon
Want to Write but Can’t Come Up with a Plot
Deciding How to Open Your Book
Figuring Out You Story’s Literary Themes
Theme vs Thematic Statement: Deeper Meaning
Turning Romantic Main Plot Into Subplot
use a font like comic sans -- trick your brain into thinking that it's not important, that the writing can be stupid, if it's in a stupid font (if you can't tell i despise comic sans)
time yourself to get to a goal
or give yourself a certain amount of time
quantity >> quality in the first draft(s)!
jot down what you want to happen in that chapter
try organizing your writing (nanowrimo, for example)
do *not* reread! it doesn't need to make sense, it just needs to be there
try not to stick yourself to something you saw on tumblr. what works for someone else doesn't necessarily work for you!
take breaks. time those breaks.
practice writing short stories / oneshots of your characters.
try getting all your writing done within a certain goal (as much as I can for 30 minutes) rather than writing 5 minutes on or off
write down every little wormy idea that comes into your brain! sure, it's probably for a different plot, but maybe you can work it in somehow?
on that note, mash elements of your plots together rather than starting a whole new story
see maybe what little writing competitions you can submit your work to
proclaim your goal to the wide web for some peer pressure
rewards yourself. cheer on every thousand-word milestone. brag to your friends that you've written something, anything.
don't think of the big goal—don't think of publishing, or posting, etc. think of the end of your chapter, the development of your character, where it goes.
switch your writing environment! where are you most productive?
make a playlist only for when you write. never for anything else.
getting off tumblr, probably.
have people remind you of your goals.
remember that it all comes with discipline, but also your mental health is the most important!! don't sacrifice half your sleep to meet your nanowrimo goals. try to recognize when it's taking you too long and close the document. do something else. come back later.
take care of yourself. <3 use this post as a breather (or reminder to start!)
This is more of a writing question as I really admire your work and I’m trying to write my own IF but am kind of stuck. I’ve done a lot of the character drafting and plot drafting, but when it comes down to actually sitting down and WRITING the story (even just a small portion) I just get stuck.
So I guess my question is, is how did you start writing the actual story of Infamous? How do you get about moving the story along?
Thank you and OK! This is going to be long because I'll share my beat sheet for the first act of Infamous!
So I've talked about this very briefly, but I will never stop championing beat sheets. I get so many questions every day asking me how I write so much and so quickly, and it's because I already have a layout planned that's basically just holding my hand. I'm not a magical wizard with a writing wand (though I wish...)
This is a traditional novel system and my only background is writing traditional novels. Infamous is my first IF, and I did have to tweak how I approach writing because they're just not the same. IFs are different because they're essentially multiple novels in one. One route can look completely different to another route, but the basics at least helps you with narrative plotting.
Once you recognize the building blocks of a story, it'll become easier to write it. For example, here's the beat sheet for Hunger Games. It is known that Hunger Games follows a beat sheet beat by beat and does it very well.
I will give you my beat sheet for Infamous
MC has a dream of the final goal of the band. It's meant to mirror what the end goal of the story is supposed to be. Ruining it by wakening up is meant to hook the reader by making them realize it's not true yet. Set up the story conflict: the tour. I introduce the characters and their dynamics (orion getting angry at MC for sleeping, Rowan joking around with Orion, Iris and Devyn etc.) I foreshadow a few things and I set up the stakes of the tour and how much the band needs this. (They talk about their gigs and how they want to do more.)
The inciting incident for INFAMOUS is winning the audition and finally getting on tour. That's what incites the story! The first dilemma is getting into a fight at the party due to cheating allegations. Now the reader is aware that this isn't all sunshine and daisies. We're all just fucked, basically. j/
Well. This is pretty obvious. Having to make a choice on the bus. It helps that the tour hasn't started yet and both options deal with characters that have conflict with MC and the band (Seven and UWB) so now it's like: this decision will impact the rest of the tour, and makes it much bigger than just choosing to ride with a band every other week.
obviously this is all spoilery but your goal is basically: how do i make my MC suffer as much as i can? conflict is fun to read, it's what drives people to continue watching/reading/ investing. For IFs it goes beyond that, because people like making decisions on how to fix conflict or make it worse!
I love talking technical writing on my personal @amyreads I don't talk about it much here because it can get boring. But yeah! If you have more questions you can swing by there :)
Unleash Your Inner Vampire: Tips for Writing Vampire
1. Study Vampire Legends and Lore: Immerse yourself in vampire mythology and folklore from various cultures. Familiarize yourself with popular vampire tales, historical references, and the diverse interpretations of these immortal creatures.
2. Immortality and Eternal Life: Explore the themes of immortality, longevity, and the consequences that come with eternal life. Delve into the existential questions, moral dilemmas, and emotional complexities that arise from living through the ages.
3. Supernatural Abilities and Weaknesses: Define the unique set of supernatural abilities and weaknesses your vampires possess. Consider powers such as superhuman strength, speed, heightened senses, and the need for blood as sustenance. Establish the vulnerabilities, such as sunlight, garlic, holy symbols, or wooden stakes, that can be used against them.
4. Bloodlust and Temptation: Portray the powerful and primal urge vampires have for blood. Describe the inner struggle to maintain control, resist temptation, and reconcile their predatory nature with their humanity. Explore the psychological and moral conflicts that arise from their insatiable thirst.
5. Immortal Society and Clans: Create a complex social structure and hierarchy within the vampire community. Develop vampire clans or covens, each with their own traditions, rules, and relationships. Explore the dynamics between older, more influential vampires and newly turned ones.
6. Nighttime Environments and Atmosphere: Craft a vivid portrayal of the vampire's nocturnal world. Describe the allure of moonlit nights, mysterious gothic settings, and the ethereal beauty that accompanies their existence in the shadows.
7. Vampire Origins and Transformations: Establish the origins and methods of vampiric transformation in your story. Explore the lore behind their creation, whether through a bite, a curse, or a supernatural event. Consider the physical and emotional changes that occur during the transformation process.
8. Hunting and Feeding Rituals: Delve into the rituals and methods vampires employ when hunting for blood. Describe their seductive charm, mesmerizing allure, and the art of choosing and mesmerizing their prey. Showcase the duality of violence and sensuality that accompanies their feeding.
9. Humanity and Redemption: Allow your vampire characters to grapple with their lost humanity and the possibility of redemption. Explore their desires to reconnect with their past, form meaningful relationships, or find purpose beyond their existence as predators.
10. Vampire Hunters and Threats: Introduce conflicts and adversaries that challenge your vampires' existence. Include vampire hunters, rival factions, or other supernatural creatures that pose a threat to their secrecy and survival.
Remember to infuse your writing with atmospheric descriptions, emotional depth, and explore the complexities of the vampire's existence. Let your imagination soar as you delve into the captivating world of vampires.
what's the point of romance if they aren't gonna kiss on a battlefield with blood and tears on theirface and the relief of knowing they've made it out alive
It occurs to you just then, the true depth of your helplessness: you've been taken to another universe, alone with no way home, you're stuck prisoner, your phone has no signal...and they don't even know what Wi-Fi is.
Yeah. You're screwed.
DEMO (3/04/2023) ♔ FORUM POST ♔ ARTBREEDERS
♔ The Decoy is a dark fantasy that follows you, a 21st century normal human, kidnapped to an alternate magical universe to play the part of the missing heir to a powerful throne...who also happens to be your doppelgänger. ♔
Life, for the most part, has been all-around uneventful. You work in Manhattan at a convenience store under a sleazy boss in order to scrape by and support your struggling family. Your dad is absent, your mom is too tired to parent, one brother is getting arrested while the other has detached himself from the life he once had. Still, while your days as a twenty-something employee are mundane, at least they're predictable.
Meanwhile, in another realm, the magical dark world of Eterna is in ruin. A war against an entity and his bloodthirsty creatures is brewing, and after the powerful royal family is viciously murdered and the only living child--and now rightful owner of the throne--goes missing, that evil is one step closer to winning.
But of course, that's not your problem. That's in a whole other universe, one you don't even know exists. Your biggest worry is whether you'll be able to take on a double shift tomorrow. Right?
Wrong.
Turns out the missing heir is your doppelganger. In a desperate attempt to save face and stop from losing a war before it even starts, you're kidnapped and taken to Eterna in order to play the part of the monarch, all while working behind the (bloody) scenes to find the true heir and get home.
Stuck in a world of magic and fantasy you've only ever seen in movies, an entire country--and an impending war-- is now dependent on how well you can act.
No pressure.
The Decoy is rated 18+ for dark themes, violence, and explicit content.
FEATURES
Customize your MC from gender identity, pronouns, personality, and appearance.
Choose whether to adapt to this new world or reject it, whether to be defiant or not. Pick what kind of monarch you'll lead as and take full advantage of your new royal identity.
Build yourself up in this new world, focus on honing combat or knowledge of the realm, choose a preferred choice of weapon and more.
Romance one of eight ROs (two male, two female, one nonbinary, three gender selectable) with a variety of backgrounds and magical types. Some more dangerous than others.
Maybe teach your new makeshift gang what television is? Hopefully find some signal for your phone? (not going to happen).
CHARACTERS + ROs
SERIDA/SOREN/SAHAR CRETILLON (m/f/nb , identity dependent on player choice ): the successor to the throne and only living person left in the Cretillon line, S has gone missing not long after the slaughter that murdered their entire family. People have been waiting for them to be coronated in order to plan their next move, but they're now gone without a trace and without them and the power that binds them together, Eterna is vulnerable. That's where you come in.
AZRIEL DAMARIS [RO] (m, he/him): once S's primary royal guard, Azriel has been promoted as the general of the Eternan army and head of the operation to save S. Stiff, serious, and severe, Azriel is tasked with being guard and guiding you through the world of politics and royalty. Unfortunately, Azriel doesn't want you here and he doesn't do much to hide it.
NAMARA AL-LUVEN: [RO] (f, she/her) Azriel's second, Namara is a fierce warrior and loyal to the cause. She's quite difficult to read, distant considering who you are.
DRENWIN SILVA: [RO](m, he/him): a skilled Mage and jester, Drenwin works alongside the Eternan army and puts his skills to work. He seems to be the most approachable of the bunch, which isn't saying much.
VALE: [RO](nb, they/them) the boisterous, flirtatious and arrogant mercenary turned pirate captain of The Lady Mystica. Vale exists simply to make and spend as much coin as possible while engaging in their harem and abundance of bad habits.
CERIS BESILLE [RO] (selectable, she/her, he/him, they/them): a priest-in-training, Ceris is fiercely devoted to their beliefs. Reserved and easily scandalized, they haven't left their quarters in the church since they were twelve, contributing to their lack of outside experience and rather insular outlook on the world.
TALEEA FAREWYN [RO] - (she/her) A half-fae Healer, Taleea follows alongside you as your right hand. She seems to be the only one empathetic to your circumstances, but it's hard to trust anyone in this world, especially someone who is so keen on being...nice.
ARWEN/ARYA VALARIN: [RO] (selectable, she/her, he/him): A Valarin is S's childhood friend and their arranged betrothed. A has been S's other half since they were kids, which means you need to be extra careful around them. They have no idea you're not S and judging from your orders, it's better they never find out.
????? [RO?] (gender selectable) -- They are actively hunting you.
It is objectively more funny to think that M has multiples of the same clothes because they are the least irritating on their senses, BUT ALSO i cannot believe that M wouldn't dress up sometimes with their love for keeping up the "aesthetic".
Tl;dr: M's outfit must: 1. have an alternative vibe to it, 2. be comfortable and easy to move in, 3. cover most of the body.
hiiii, i'm working on my first ever twine game and i'm kind of really nervous about dealing with reader interaction after i post it, i was wondering if you had any advice for that? not just anon hate but like, boundaries with an audience in general. you seem to handle that very well
First off, good luck with your project!! I wish you success 💖
Regarding hate anons, I kinda answered that in this ask, but overall my advice to new IF authors would be to maintain a distance from your audience.
Yeah, I know. It doesn't sound fun. I'm not saying never to engage with your readers, I do that plenty. But if you want to maintain a creative vision, it's better both for you as well as the quality of your work that you put up certain boundaries, as you put it.
This means telling readers that they're wrong sometimes. That they misinterpreted a character, or a scene, or a plot detail. This means telling them 'no' when they demand certain edits or features you don't feel fit your original vision. This means taking all the time you need to work on your story without feeling guilty, and not caving into pressure to put content out that ends up sub-par because you rushed it to satisfy your readers.
But most importantly, it means remembering that as an artist, you don't owe your audience anything. Choosing to write for an audience and prioritizing their desires over your own is the quickest way to burn out as a writer, and completely lose sight or even lose control over your own work.
You don't owe other people creative control. You don't need to cater to complete strangers on the internet. Forget about trying to appeal to everyone, it's never going to happen.
It might be daunting at first, especially starting out. Yeah, a few weirdos might get mad, but who cares about them? They're just some randos on the internet throwing a temper tantrum because they think they're entitled to your art. Their opinion doesn't matter.
Write what makes you happy, and people that appreciate your work will find you and support you regardless.
