Any creative writing tips?

[Simmons 2.0]

So, the basic jist is, i want to write a novel. I have problems where ill either come up with an idea which i like and start writing for it and later on get bored of the idea or the story just doesnt support itself, or my ideas follow similar plots to mainstream media.

i have a great interest in mecha, cyborg, stealth sci fi stuff, lots of things related to that really (interest i like to give you an idea - megaman zero, dead space, metal gear solid, blade runner, star wars, mass effect, halo, splinter cell, alien etc) so i really want to write a novel focused around these elements.

if you have any tips at all, very general stuff to specific motivational things, whatever, give it a personal touch or just relate me to something you found somewhere.

any tips and advice are appreciated.

also, an extra note, if i have a really good idea i like, i may start some sort of blog on the escapist, post on a thread every week or something, just as a motivational thing to help me. whatever, just ideas for now

 

[The Man With the Soap]

Just sit down and write it. View it as something you want to do, not something you have to do. You don't have to write in sequential order, either. Just write what you already have an idea for and are excited about first.

 

[TonyVonTonyus]

What I do is think of the story before I write anything. I think the the characters, the setting, the plot and anything in the plot, how it begins, how it ends and most of the middle before I even think of writing. I also do all of this with something I find genuinely interesting. It also helps sometimes to have inspiration as you write. I'm writing a story about vikings and I listen to Ensiferum and Amon Amarth, it helps because of what i'm writing about and what i'm listening to. So find somethign that gives you inspiration, find something you like, think about how you can write a story about it, think about the story, plan it out and then write.

(you can also change that plan as you go along but it's always good to have an outline in your mind)

 

[Paksenarrion]

Whenever you get inspiration, write it down.

Also, the hardest things to write about are the details, like what characters are going to say to each other.

 

[icame]

- When you finally start coming up with a plot, see if you can summarize it in one sentence.

- Continue to watch things related to the genre/theme of your story so you have a large number of things to draw inspiration of. Note: This does not mean outright steal an idea, make it your own!

- What kasurami said. You need to narrow down that list of inspirations so this book doesn't become a convoluted mess that seems like the writer was just putting down whatever he was into at the time.I have read books like that, and they are HELL!

-Whenever an idea comes into your head write it down right away. I don't care if your at dinner with your Gf, write it on a napkin!

- http://download.cnet.com/yWriter-5/3000-2079_4-77524.html

This could help you organize everything better. It helps me atleast...

 

[icame]

Don't take 'inspiration' from anything. Try to write a original novel
e.g: a novel about a gay penguine named Eugine who is trying to assasinate Hitlers clone in the year 2134

Been done before

 

[Nickolai77]

Write down a story plan with a beginning, middle and end.

Draft some personality into characters, if that gives you ideas with the plot then great.

Figure out when in your schedule you have some free time, and begin writing your way through the story plan when you have that free time.

 

[Valksy]

Write because you love to write, the first person that you should be entertaining is yourself.

Also - show, don't tell. Quick and nasty google gave me this, which explains with examples so I don't need to type them out: http://users.wirefire.com/tritt/tip1.html

In terms of dialogue, I usually test mine by saying it out loud. I can quickly spot things that sound unnatural, have bad rhythm etc if I hear them, it's much more obvious to me (this may not work if your characters have specific reasoning to adopt unusual cadences or turns of speech).

If you find yourself getting stuck, take a time out and do some writing exercises - describe a person or a place or a specific moment in time, limit yourself to 1000 words and write about an event.

 

[CountChocula99]

There are two excellent books about developing dramatic conflict and memorable characters by Lajos Egri:

The Art of Dramatic Writing
[link]http://www.amazon.com/Art-Dramatic-Writing-Creative-Interpretation/dp/0671213326/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1298867413&sr=1-2[/link]
The Art of Creative Writing
[link]http://www.amazon.com/Art-Creative-Writing-Lajos-Egri/dp/0806502002/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1298867349&sr=1-1[/link]

Here are a couple links to some advice from established writers that I've found helpful with my own writing:

[link]http://www.paper-dragon.com/1939/dent.html [/link]

[link]http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=82509#post82509[/link]

[link]http://www.sfwa.org/2009/08/aphorisms-for-writing-science-fiction/[/link]

 

[Zaverexus]

As a writer and artist I always like to do sketches of my characters, it can really give you a sense of what you want them to be like, then they can act on their own a bit.
http://www.writerlylife.com/ is also a good blog about creative writing.

And of course the biggest secret: make time for your craft. Letting it stagnate will only lead to boredom. Even if the writing is crap, you need to write. You can sift through it the next day and maybe even delete it all but at least you know what not to do

 

[alexxcodered]

base characters off people you know
what most people don't realise is that they have interactions with original and realistic characters every day just make notes on friends, family etc and expand on them
also DON'T just go for the clichéd character that goes against what society wants all the time
that would just be a Goth
and as characters they're not interesting

and if you're still having trouble just message me ive got a huge bank of unused characters for anyone who needs them.

 

[KhakiHat]

I say open Notepad or Text Edit program on your computer and don't worry about the spelling until the third draft. Thats what I did in a creative writing class I was in. Otherwise, the other guys here have it spot on!

 

[Jaker the Baker]

Not much of a creative writer, but the best tip I can thrw is to flesh out your characters on paper BEFORE you start writing the story

 

[Vern5]

I have that problem where I have an amazing idea, I'll start writing it and then get bored of it down the road. Have you ever tried writing short stories? If you find yourself getting bored with an idea, condense it. Sometimes there are ideas that can't stand on their own for very long, its the same reason that movies sometimes have subplots. Honestly, take every idea you've never been able to complete and give it some resolution. Then look at all of these completed stories and see if you can weave them together to make one overarching story with many characters and viewpoints.

 

[Mjoldar]

Don't be too turned off of the "tried-and-true" tropes that might come to mind while you're writing. Be creative and original, yes, but don't just make something unique that doesn't work when the "standard" archetype/dialogue/setting actually does fit. Just do make sure you're not outright copying...Eragon gets flak all day long for that.

 

[No_Remainders]

Snip

Well, I can't really give you much help, but there is one thing that someone told me that I found very useful.

If you hit writers block, that's just your ego. It's you abandoning every idea you have. If it happens to you, try to wait a day or two then write some more, if that doesn't work. Just sit down and write anything that comes into your head and delete it afterwards if you don't like it.

It worked well enough for me so far.

 

[Jonluw]

Now, I'm no writer but...
Have a clear plan for how you want the story to progress before you sit down to write it. You can add extra details or branches to the story that you come up with as you go; but if you don't have a basic story structure in mind from the beginning it's going t oget rather unfocused.

http://www.suite101.com/content/the-seven-basic-plots-a58402

 

[BrassButtons]

Saying "I want to write a novel" is a bit like saying "I want to run a marathon". Not a bad goal to aspire to, but it isn't something you can jump right into either. You need to train yourself for it, so to speak. Try writing shorter stories first, and get the basics of storytelling down. Then you can start on longer works.