How To Write A Story.

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   NC4Life078posted 11 years ago

   My question is how do you write a story? I have been interested in writing a story that I can continue on a weekly or even daily basis (Hubs). Now, I have difficulty knowing what I want to do. For example how did J.K. Rowling think about starting Harry Potter? More so than that, how did she come up with such an intricate plot?
   
   Did she just wing it? Or was it planned from start to finish? I have always considered myself quite capable of writing in detail, but, do you even want to in a story? I know under circumstances you might want to, for example explaining architecture of buildings in "The Pillars of The Earth".
   
   I guess what I am asking for is for some direction. Am I even creative enough to write a story? I wrote poetry in High School when I was stressed, yet, I feel like that is no longer a part of me. Besides, this seems like a different ball game.

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   paradigmsearchposted 11 years ago

   The last 2 stories I wrote, I had not a clue how they would end when I started them. Both were HP podcast.

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      paradigmsearchposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      And I enjoyed the heck out of writing them. But both are absolutely zero traffic getters.

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         NC4Life078posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Wow, that is demoralizing. I feel that stories are much harder to put together and should deserve the traffic. You put so much time an energy into it and it gets 0. Yet, I suppose most of us write for the love of writing and hope it gets some views.

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3. 79

   HLKeeleyposted 11 years ago

   JK Rowling got the idea on a train. I honestly think as she continued to write, it got more intricate. I believe she reread things and inspiration hit.
   
   I get stories by inspiration. If you read the short stories I have posted it shows my writing process. Most of them starts with a picture in my head and then I write what I think has happened. The characters develop and "talk" to me.
   
   I would practice some first. Ask someone to send you a picture or go on Stumbleupon.com. The first picture you see write what is going on. This will boost your creativity and give you an idea of what to write.
   
   Last bit of advice, look to the books you read. These will be the best inspiration. If you like to read about it, most likely you would like to write about it.

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      NC4Life078posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I have had images in my head of what I would like to write about. But, I think I get dismayed when I think "Well this has already been done". I don't want to write something someone has read a million times. I want them to feel my energy, to see the world as I see it, and to experience a thrilling and captivating event that will drop their jaws.
      
      I like the picture idea, I will have to try that. My biggest fear is that I may emulate their writing to much. I really enjoyed how "The Pillars of The Earth" would reach climax and then switch to another character and then repeat. It keeps you reading and wanting more. But, again I dislike being "unorginal".

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         HLKeeleyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I understand. All the little things I write for HubPages are just tiny writings. It boosts my confidence in my writing when I get comments because someone likes it. A lot of things these days are no longer original, even Harry Potter was not original.
         
         It is about the readers and feeling goof about your writing. Just write. Don't think too much into it. I am sure you will do fine. You are a great writer, this proven by your hubs!

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         Aficionadaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         But don't forget that people who study such things say that there are only about twenty different story lines in all literature.  If you pay attention, you can usually see that most of the things we read are like other things we have read in the past.  It's the details and the energy that you put into it that makes it unique and enjoyable and that turns the same-old/same-old story into something thrilling and captivating.

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         2uesdayposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I was told in a writing class that there are only a limited number of plots and if you want to write;your task is to convey the story in an original way.
         Must add that we all know you cannot plagiarize.
         
         Why not write short stories to start with if a book is off putting? A short story where you set yourself boundaries and guide lines is easier to start and finish than a novel.

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         recommend1posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Aficionado has it about right I would say,  and don't forget that even if your 'original' is the same as something else in many ways there are still millions of readers who have not seen the 'others'  even many of the similar 'others' - if it is your own original work it is different and your own - forget the world out there and just do it.

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      Divy Raghuvanshiposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      i think inspiration is everywhere we just need to be creative enough to shape it.

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   paradigmsearchposted 11 years ago

   I wonder if I could work up the enthusiasm to do another story. One that would actually get views...

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   paradigmsearchposted 11 years ago

   Sarah Palin calls Nancy Pelosi a dingbat (again). The room grows silent. Nancy reaches into her purse...

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   Tusitala Tomposted 11 years ago

   I've written much, but most of my longer works, especially fiction, have involved me in virtually twenty-four-hour-a-day thinking, visualising, jotting down things, sleepless nights and all manner of everyday mental interferences which take up a great deal of time and drain a lot of energy.  Expect to put aside your usual life routines for several months if you intend writing, say, an 80,000 word novel.  One virtually finds oneself living in stories within stories as things unfold in your mind.   Ideas come, you write them down.  Characters come, you build on them.  Opening scenes come, you get them down whilst you can. 
   
   Don't think it necessary to start at the beginning and work right through.  If you can do this, great.  But with me the first thing in one of my books was the prologue.  That set the whole theme, atmosphere and physical location of the yarn.  In another novel I started off with chapter 2.  Doing it this way you can write from the vision-pictures you're getting at the time.  Problem is threading it together as a sequence of unfolding events later.  This is especially so if you have a number of stories and subplots in the same book.
   
   Give it a go.  The first book is always the hardest.  And good luck to you.

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   readytoescapeposted 11 years ago

   Try putting together a story map or outline. Whatever the story concept is, it has to have a path. Once you know the direction and the end point you can fill in the waypoints along the route. Tip: The best stories do not take the expressway.

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   brakel2posted 11 years ago

   Re Rowling.  All her ideas came from playing  in her childhood where she made up characters. Then the book idea happened on a train. I don't think I can do fiction but admire those of you who do. A friend says to use a familiar setting and characters you know. The characters and point of view confuse me.

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   Zichri Luiposted 11 years ago

   It's not unlikely that you don't have a full idea of how the story goes. I doubt any writer had their entire story planned out from start to finish right away. But there's no rush, and as long as you have the pivotal, crucial events of the story in your mind, you can figure out the rest of it as you go. It's very important to be patient about it or else you'll just put filler in between these events that don't contribute to the plot.
   
   And about being original, that's something that plagues me every time I write. While I wouldn't go out of my way to say that every story has been done, it is easy to find yourself thinking that your story is completely original, when you realize that it's something that you've seen or read in a film or novel, respectively. The important thing is to give it that personal flair that you need to make it your own.
   
   Try to take things from your own life and write about them instead of simply coming up with plots without some sort of basis, because then your brain will likely just draw from something that you admired or enjoyed in the past.
   
   Like Tom said, it'll be very demanding and it does take over your train of thought and your mind in a way. But that's when you know that you're actually trying to write a good story that's genuine, that everything that you experience in life is viewed as a potential inspiration for a book or an event in a book. I'm experiencing that right now and it's tough, but that's when you know you're doing it right and not just unconsciously basing it off of another person's work.

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    NC4Life078posted 11 years ago

    So I have got a pretty good start on my story. I felt better when I had an outline of where I was going to start and end the story. But now my question is it a good idea to post a story on hub pages? especially if it may turn into a novel?
    
    In terms of copyright and all that. I would like the feedback as well as the extra traffic since I have noticed that if you don't publish new hubs your traffic goes to 0 on virtually every hub. My wife doesn't think it's a good idea and I am wishy washy about it. Especially if I try and get it published down the road.

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       JC the Nomadposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       It's always good to get feedback on a story and I understand why you may have qualms about posting it on Hubpages. So you may want to find a small group of people to read the story and give feedback as you progress. Usually a local university or community college will offer a creative writing workshop - those can be helpful and fun, but be warned, they can also be frustrating. The worst thing you could do is ask friends and family to critique your work. They'll be too worried about hurting your feelings and will only point out what they like and not what they dislike about the story. It's difficult to get people that you have a close relationship with to be honest.

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11. 63

    Nouveau Skepticposted 11 years ago

    Rowling had the whole series plotted before she started and many writers do.  But others make it up as they go along.

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    Denise Handlonposted 11 years ago

    I did the Nanowrimo one year on a prompt from my sister and had no clue what I was going to write about.  It was a mystery and I ended up with 35,000 words and a good plot but needed to tie it all together.  Ideas can come out of anywhere and if they work-great, if not they may lead to other stories.
    
    One of the things I did when I started was I took a couple of online classes...like through the community colleges: ed2go program.  You get tips, information and feedback.

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13. 0

    i4uposted 11 years ago

    I'm still craving to get both ends of this issue meet.
    I have started some story writing but then didn't go on with other lots that had once come into my mind.
    Many things are necessary in simple ways I believe. The patience is the key. Creative writing will come on in anyway because when we want to write a story on the first hand, we will be a little creative inside anyway.
    The more we think of the topic the more we lose time and the thrill of it.
    I say just take out your gadget and write or a pen and a paper, for the first things that com to your mind. After all that's done go for editing, don't start it in the middle itself.
    There is just one story in my BLOG by the name, Separated and United, like I said I didn't give much thought in the start of it and simply went on till I thought the climax should be now or never.
    Good Luck with your experiences ahead.

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    AthenaFOlsenposted 11 years ago

    Writing a story is not very easy.Actually writing something randomly is easy but for meaningful writing you have to follow some rules and have to maintain some conditions.Such as your writings must be meaningful,writings must be easy to read;not  be complicated. If you follow these rules your writings will be good.For more attraction you can take some comedy for your story.It will be better or you can select a tragic view for your story.
    
    
    
    Floorsanding

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