Writing a Story from Start to Finish - Guide
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I see you guys in the tags and reblogs talking a lot about how you have a desire to write, but have no clue what to write about, or where to even start figuring that out. While starting any project can be incredibly daunting, I wanted to put together a little guide to hopefully make it a bit more accessible. Be warned, this will probably be a long post.
All writing begins with this: an idea. Ideas can start as small as an object, or as big as a world or cast of characters. Whatās important is that your idea genuinely interests you, and makes you want to explore it more.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā There are a million ways to gain inspiration for ideas, but my favourite method is a sort of brainstorm/mind map of all the little and big things you find interesting. Any tropes, characters, places, concepts, objects, animals, other stories, etc. you loveāwrite them down. Then, start connecting the pieces. Each connection is one concept or idea you could explore further.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā If this doesnāt work for you, try using some writing prompts or check out 15 ways to spark new ideas.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā If you are a planner, proceed to Step 2. If you are a pantser, skip to step 7.
Step 2: Create your Protagonist
Now that you have a sort of concept or inspiration to work off of, you need your main character. There are about as many ways to create characters as there are characters themselves, and each method is going to work better or worse for every writer.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā At the barest minimum, all your protagonist needs is a Goal to work towards, a Reason for wanting it, and a Flaw that keeps them from having it right away.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā These three things can form a baseline character. Consider what the thing they want, why they want it, and whatās keeping from it says about them as a person.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Rapunzel (from Disneyās Tangled) wants to see the āfloating lightsā on her birthday. She wants to because she believes she will learn more about herself through seeing them. Her fear over disappointing and disobeying her āmotherā keeps her from it.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā My favourite character creation technique is actually Hereāit takes you through creating character in order to create story.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā If that one doesnāt work for you, try this one. It is more focused on defining traits and figuring out the personality of the character first.
Step 3: Your Plot is your Protagonistās Arc
As stated in the character creation technique I shared in Step 2, character is plot. By that I mean, the characterās journey is the plot of the story. Weāre here to see the protagonist transform because of the circumstances incited in the beginning.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā So to form a plot, we need to know who the character is at the beginning, and what they need to learn by the end.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Your characterās arc is A but B so C:
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā A ā your character and their flaw
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā B ā The conflict they go through
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā C ā how they change
āObsessed with success, Jenny Beech works tirelessly to earn the approval of her strict parents and graduate top of her class, but when the new girl in town pulls her into a whole new world of excitement and fun, she must stand up for herself against her impossible standards and learn how to be a teen again.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā This one sentence has everything we need to know about this story and character: āObsessed with success (character trait/flaw), Jenny Beech works tirelessly to earn the approval of her strict parents and graduate top of her class (goal), but when the new girl in town pulls her into a new world of excitement and fun (conflict), she must stand up for herself against her impossible standards and learn how to be a teen again (change).ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā If you have these three things, congratulations! You already have a story. If youād like, you may begin writing it now (skip to step 8). Orā¦
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I did a whole post on theme you should check out here. Essentially, the big takeaway is that your theme is a lesson to impart to the readersāwhich means it is not a question, it is an answer.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā For the example given above, our theme would likely be something like, āTeens need to balance their additional responsibilities as they mature into young adults with the joy of being young and having fun.ā Or, āFriends and a close social network is more important than having the best grades.ā Or, āItās important to take frequent time away from work in order to maintain oneās humanity.ā Etc. Etc.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Theme is conveyed through what your characters need to do to succeed (or what they do that causes their failure). If Jenny lets loose and suffers consequences for it in the end, weāre saying that she should have stuck to her studies rather than letting herself have fun. If she lets loose and is rewarded with a greater relationship with herself and her parents, weāre saying that was the correct thing to do.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Now that we have a plot and a theme, we can outline our story. An outline is like a roadmap of what youāre writing. It can be as specific or broad as you want. My outlines tend to follow this structure, and I improvise the little stuff in between, but if you need to get all your ideas within your outline, thatās good too!
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Just make sure your notes make sense to you so when you need to know where to go next, you have a handy tool just for that.
I used to be a first draft pantser. Thatās cool if you are too, it worked really well for me in at least finishing a draft. What Iāve discov
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Worldbuilding is probably where youāll spend the most time because thereās just so much. However, I also find it one of the most fun parts. The minimal thing you need to know is your worldās normal, and how that normal is disrupted in the inciting incident.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Jennyās normal is school work and trying to impress her parents. The disruption is the new girl in town.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Rapunzelās normal is the tower and her hobbies. The disruption is Flynn breaking in.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I did a more in-depth post on worldbuilding here, but the basics is just ask questions, explore consequences, and do plenty of research.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Which brings us toā¦
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā This can also be done after your first draft, but canāt be skipped entirely. Itās important when trying to convey experiences that may not be wholly your own, or unique perspectives, that you understand the context behind those things in the real world.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Once again, ask questions, talk to people, and remain open to what you find.
Step 8: We can start writing now
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Now that you have all your planning ducks in a row (or have a good inspiration to jump from) itās time to start writing! Either go from the outline you built, or just try out scenes. I have some tips for actually writing the dang thing that Iāll put here:
Have you ever been in a situation where you just canāt seem to get a scene to fill much more than a page or two? Or youāre at 500 words when
I always find myself freezing on a really good writing streak because I end off the chapter and have to face the question of what should com
Iām sure youāve heard other writers and creators talk about ārunning out of wordsā or āreplenishing wordsā. Iāve also heard it called āfuelā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Let me know how your writing goes, good luck!
