How to Take This Advice on Writing?

[AsianBlossom]

Hi. For a while, I've been struggling to find an engaging story and characters to write a fictional novel about. Despite the fact that I've come up with several ideas (a few of them clever), I just seem to get bored with them or think they won't work at the moment, or I think that my style of writing characters is artificial, awkward, or just plain boring or stupid.

And then I think about that age-old advice: "write what you know." Well, gee, thanks, but why is what I know something other people would want to read? What do I know about that's exciting? Heck, what do I know that I'd want to read/write about? And then I don't get anywhere. -_-*

So what is it that makes what you know exciting? Why would anyone want to read about someone else's life? Can someone please give me any bit of advice on what I can do to shake up my perspective and, like Nishi-san said in Whisper of the Heart, "find some real gems" to write about? I'd appreciate it, thanks.

[Zarn Ishtare]

hmm...


This might be difficult to understand, but occasionally in life one finds moments that, while they may not be beautiful, are worth preserving. For example, I had a dream of a painting in three panels, of a boy becoming a wolf attacking a monster. The caption read in the third panel read: "With all his might, he turned into a wolf...but it was too late". Now, how does that make most people feel? It doesn't; but the emotions I felt in that dream were powerful ones, so my goal now is to reproduce that feeling in other people.

Something easier to understand is this: Write an outline. Write an actual basic outline, what you want your characters to be like, the story to be about, your goals. Show on paper what you know, and build from there. Inspiration comes eventually, but for you right now it might be best just to work from this basic formula.

[AsianBlossom]

Basic formula, huh? That sounds good. I think I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

[Raiden no Kishi]

Make knowing more things your goal.

.rai//

[Esoteric]

I'm no expert, but 'writing what you know' doesn't mean you have to write about being a cashier at McDonalds or whatever your job is. It means draw from your personal experiences.
For example, let's say you're writing about a knight who's been ordered to broker peace talks with a barbarian horde. The barbarians are super obnoxious and frustrating...perhaps not unlike some fast food customers we may have encountered. Drawing inspiration from personal thoughts and difficulties lends believability and interest to character reactions. Makes them seem more real, more interesting. That's what people connect to. They want to be able to relate to characters. That's what you know which is of interest.

Now, it is true to an extent that someone who's studied, say...medicine will have a much easier time and perhaps write a more successful story about an ER doctor. Research is important for credibility when you get into certain areas of writing.

But as far as what to write...what interests you? Really, that's the best place to start. Write and don't worry about sounding stupid or anything. It's very hard for an author to judge their own work accurately. That's what feedback is for. Get as many people as you can to read your stories and offer input--especially other writers. They will help you hone your skills and your story. I hope that helps.

[LadyRushia]

I believe that pieces of everything I read, watch, listen to, and learn in school end up in and influence my writing whether I realize it or not. I suggest reading, watching, and listening to things that make you think. With me, music is very inspirational and I'll often get new ideas or have some kind of insight into my characters because of the music. I often see the same scenes over and over in terms of AMVs, XD. Now, I look into the lyrics of songs and the majority of what I listen to is actually poetry as opposed to the same line repeated over and over again. The same goes with what I read and watch.

Or that might be my analytical side critically looking at everything I do, XD. But learning how to analyze is helpful, too. It's helped me know exactly what I'm putting into my writing on a deeper level than just characters and plot.

All of this might be over your head or something right now, XD. On a simpler level, outlining and just writing out whatever you have, even if you think it sucks, will help you greatly.

[USSRGirl]

I think Esoteric hit the nail on the head. Part of the fun of "writing what you know" is taking ideas, personalities, observations from boring, mundane life and turning them into something cool. Example: what if that demonic gadget-happy chem prof I so despise succeeded some tyrant as ruler of the world? o.O Would we all be consumed by dystopian bureaucracy? And what if one lone subversive with a squimish personality like that Siberian Husky I work with decided to rebel? And if I were to plant my own personality as a bystander... would I be rallying Husky's troops out of Inigo Montoya style vengeance against an old grudge held with said demonic chem prof overlord?

... uh... XD *back to reality* But yeah... that's the way I look at it. I don't know if it necessarily *improves* a person's writing but it does help to get some ideas by applying concepts or personalities from real life into a fictious setting (like "if I were this character, how would I react right now..." or "if so-and-so were my character, what would they do..."). In a story I'm kinda working on, one of my [human] characters ended up having a "cat-ish" personality almost unintentionally, maybe because I'm so used to the moodswings, attitude/independence issues, and jittery/paranoid behavior of a cat. You really don't need to have life shattering experiences to get something fun out of everyday stuff. So write on!

Till then... *dons shield* Hello, I am Temulin Montoya. You killed my Friday. Prepare to die.

[LadyRushia]

Example: what if that demonic gadget-happy chem prof I so despise succeeded some tyrant as ruler of the world? o.O Would we all be consumed by dystopian bureaucracy? And what if one lone subversive with a squimish personality like that Siberian Husky I work with decided to rebel? And if I were to plant my own personality as a bystander... would I be rallying Husky's troops out of Inigo Montoya style vengeance against an old grudge held with said demonic chem prof overlord?

And that, in essence, is how the first grains of a story idea come to you. I was sitting in class the other day and the professor was talking about Plato's idea of a utopian society. Suddenly, a cast of old characters from an old story of mine were just like "o hay we has a stry bout this." Of course, things about utopian societies are incredibly cliched, but that's okay because most ideas start off with cliches anyway. It's what you do with those cliches that either makes your stories interesting or just like everything else.

[USSRGirl]

*coughcough*Plato was a commie... that was no republic he described *coughcough*

But, yeah, exactly Rushia! It gives you that little spark of an idea to kick you out of a creative block. It's kinda fun to try and draw ideas from random things around you.

[LadyRushia]

*coughcough*Plato was a commie... that was no republic he described *coughcough*

But, yeah, exactly Rushia! It gives you that little spark of an idea to kick you out of a creative block. It's kinda fun to try and draw ideas from random things around you.

My point was that a single word can trigger an epic plot rushing through your head in like two seconds. Whether or not the story has anything to do with the context of that word is up to you/the characters.

One thing I did recently was thought of a random object to use as conventional symbolism that no one else would use, so I picked paper towels and a poem came out of it that isn't really about paper towels but uses them sort of. Inspiration is weird, so just keep your mind open for it. Also, ask God for inspiration and for Him to be a part of what you write. That's really been helping me this past year.

[EricTheFred]

Since I write sci-fi and fantasy, writing what I know would be problematic if I took it so literally.

I think the "write what you know" axiom must have been invented by a mainstream fiction writer. He would have been encouraging someone to set their stories in places they knew, and make them about the sort of people and society they knew, rather than going for exotic locations and characters. In that context, it's pretty good advice.

Out of that context it doesn't make sense, unless you stop making it literal. The real advice isn't "Write what you know" but "Know what you write". If you are out of your element, research, research, research!

Last night I spent two hours exploring the Internet on the subject of ejector seats. Why? Because I had no idea how long ejecting from a fighter actually takes. Half a second, one second, five seconds... How could I not know that? Because, even though the characters in this story are fighter pilots... I'm not. And one stinking sentence in the last chapter of my story was going to sound stupid to t those more knowledgable on the subject unless I learned more.

*coughcough*Plato was a commie... that was no republic he described *coughcough*

By the definition of "Republic" that he was working from, it was a republic. It just doesn't fit the modern American definition.

[Popsicle]

Well, I'm not a writer in a sense, but I do create stories and random plots all the time. I'm an artist though, and I do draw out scenes and characters that pertain to a story that I'm creating.

When it comes to creating interesting characters, I just make sure they are relatable in some way. I make sure that their reactions to events and actions would be realistic and I try not to make too many things cliche. But that's just me. Sometimes I throw bits of my personality into different characters too. It helps when developing their personality and it also connects you more with your characters. I know this probably sounds weird...but I feel like I know my characters like they are my friends, but on a deeper level. To me, they are almost like real people. I'm not a lunatic though and I don't see things that really aren't there! D:

Also, for writing the plot and developing characters and stuff...just study the world around you, the people around you, and analyze how events affect others. Use your imagination and be creative. Think out of the box. Be thick-skinned and take criticism well. Oh, and write down every single idea or piece of inspiration you find or think of. Keep those as reference and go back to them every so often. You'll be surprised at the new things you can think of. Also, pray pray pray. The Lord is full of ideas and I credit Him for most of mine.

[~darkelfgirl~]

You see, you need to write what you want to write. If you think about "what others might think or want" or "making it to the top", writing loses its purpose and fun. You'll just create a carbon copy of someone elses work, which seems to be an increasing trend.

What makes what I know exciting? Er.... the fact that I came up with it, I guess.

I come up with ideas by brainstorming suspenseful moments. Then the whole story forms from that seed. That's not advice, just a method I use to come up with fairly interesting ideas.

The infamous "What If?" helps also.

[Lady Kenshin]

Your writing is the essence of your soul: your deepest emotions, your strongest beliefs, your darkest nights...

Maybe that makes no sense... but it's true.

[Gabriel 9.0]

Well I go by what God guides me to write about. Add your own formula, study about what you wish to write about , more importantly pray earnestly on how to approach it, take your time and never rush the idea, so everything is in proper order.

Hope this was helpful, Godspeed my friend.