Writing stories

[Nadea]

Okay, this is going to sound silly, but:

I'm having some serious problems trying to write a story right now. Not sure if my...creativity has just dissapeared, or if I'm in a slump or what.

What I would love to know is, how do you all come up with stories? Does it just pop into your head, or do you sit down and plan it out? How long does it take to write? And finally, does anyone have any useful tips that might help my own writing?

Any help would be much appreciated, as I am *really* stuck right now! :3

[Caelyn]

I think I can honestly say, everyone has been where you are. In fact I have been there the last few weeks. But here are some of the things I do, feel free to call me a crazy woman if you like, trust me, you would not be the first.

I get most of my story ideas from stuff happening In Game or they just sort of jump into my head as an idea or a thought. Some of my favorite stuff has come from a single sentance and I've built the story off of it. I am very much so a spur of the moment type of writer. I try to get the idea down fast then I try to figure out where I want the story to go, then I hope that the story goes there. *shrug* I find that when I sit and plan a story or RP I end up botching it so badly that it goes into my "WTH was I thinking" folder. :D

What I do when I find myself in a slump is I pull out my old High School English notebook. At one time I wanted to be a published author and so I would write down all my ideas or cool thoughts in this notebook. So what I do is read through it and find something that strikes my fancy and I write that idea in a fresh notebook. (yes, I'm a pen and paper type of writer, when I sit in front of the computer my brain goes blank.) But anywho. Then what I do is I just start writing everything that pops into my head while I'm looking at this idea. I'll continue to do that for a while until something else strikes my fancy.

Or the other thing I do is I talk to myself. I make up a story in my head and talk it all out. The problem is I always forget what I say so it doesn't always sound the same when I finally get it written out. I have gotten funny looks when I'm shopping at the market and I'm having an argument with myself over something.

But eh, as the old saying goes. If you are stuck in a writting rut the best thing to do is write. So my two cents is this: If you are having problems writing your story, take a break from it and write something else. Write about your day, write about the stupid person who cut you off this morning on your way to work/school; re write that song that has been stuck in your head for the past four days and when it is ready, your story will be bursting out of your head in no time. :) I wish you all the luck in the world and that the Muses are whispering in your ear.

[Rhowen-Prea]

I put a song on, and listen to it over and over and over, and break out one of my journals.

(Yes, I'm a pen and paper writer, too. I write, and then transpose it into the computer. I'm writing a novel this way. People used to laugh at me. Then my hard drive melted. Were it not for my habits, everything I have ever written would have been lost.)

I brainstorm random ideas, words, feelings the song gives me, then I write based off that. For example, this Olive song inspires me to write something -upbeat- about Rhowen that doesn't have her marching towards her doom.

[Nadea]

I too am a pen-and-paper sort of girl. Call it strange, but I looove to open up a notebook, and it be filled with writing- it just looks so cool!

I appreciate all the tips from you guys, hopefully I'll be back to my wonderful writing habits again soon enough! I won't be near the computer much this weekend- perhaps thats a good time to try and write a bit.

Thanks guys for all your help, I'll gladly listen to more suggestions from others though, the more the merrier!

[Danyxandra]

Ah writer's block. Don't try beating your head on your keyboard. I've tested that solution and it doesn't work. Besides, you just get cheetoh dust all over your forehead....

*tries to rub out the letters R and U from her own forehead*

Wha..?

Rhowen has a good idea there with the music. Use other media to inspire. One of my best EQ characters came off the inspiration from a sticker of a comic book character.

Good luck and don't worry. Your muse will come back!

[Tarlithion]

The entire premise behind Tarlithion developed out of the original Tarlithion (a warrior on Feathermoon) being played by a sadistically insane glutton for punishment who would charge into any massive mob of enemies no matter what the odds. I recall him charging an undead Priest in AV amidst the entire Horde rank on the field of strife. He died within seconds, but he burned off an Intimidating Shout. But that created the chaotic and slightly suicidal Tarlithion we see today; charging in with no consequences in mind.

I think of got a little off track there, but what I was essentially getting at is that inspiration can come from absolutely anywhere. Don't force it; let it come on its own.

[nothus]

When I was in the college english class in my senior year of high school, one of our last assignements was to take a large piece of paper (in our case it was graph paper) and just outline something. She gave us 30 minutes then we had to stop. You'd be surprised how well that works, just take 10-30 minutes then completely stop. Don't add anything else to it.

I noticed that my drawing 1/2 teacher did the same thing with some of our assignments, it's rather interesting.

(hey nadea, it's maaneeack, /salute)

[Lovely]

I don't know if I would call my writing good or not, but I write ALL the time. Thats the way I keep away from writer's block. Even if it sucks, I'm going to write something. I usually hit or miss, but I'm having fun and thats what matters.

My advice, just let it flow. Let the characters do what they would do, and if it sucks, keep writing until it is better...

[Fallacy]

Strangely, when I can't think of anything to write, I draw. Seriously, there's several pieces of paper that I hold on to that I just draw whatever comes to mind on them. Some of it might seem a little demented, I have to admit, but, really, just something random like that seems to start the creative spark in me.

If I could, I'd show some of the stuff I've drawn, even though they might put me in therapy for it.

[Mortica]

If I could, I'd show some of the stuff I've drawn, even though they might put me in therapy for it.

No scanner, or no webspace?

[Garbhan]

I'm either drawing or writing at all times. Never both, for some reason. The one usually inspires the other, then I go off on a tangent doing one of them. Inspiration can be rather random.

Whenever I try to plan something too thuroughly, I explore every facet of it, get a plan down for a great story and never actually write it. Not a thing, jsut the outline. I think... well, if its planned out, the stories all ready there, and there's no reason to tell it.

What works for ME (who knows if it works for you) is just... doing something else. Something creative. sculpt, paint (I work with plastic models) take pictures, draw, something. Then, that something will inspire me to write! That's the theory anyways =P


I always figured pen and paper was the natural way and -I- was the strange one. I can't write pen and paper, my mind goes blank. Typing just comes so easily now. That, and when I come back to it, I have trouble reading my own writing... No two letters are the same 8O