You just couldn't resist, could you. The wonder of Google has led me here like many before me; I'm an unpublished, aspiring writer who spends more time doing research than actually writing. I blame the scourge that is writer's block and my lack of characterization ability. Instant Messenger and a few dedicated critics have helped me sharpen my talents in the past; now I'm hoping to find a few friends here that are also interested in realtime discussions over MSN. My experience in writing is best described as pages and pages of brainstorms and drafted ideas, but little progress in terms of getting something done. It sucks. I'm a sick bastard who writes for the sake of it, yet frustrated by it all the same. Dan.
well welcome, I have the same issues as you when it comes to writers block, I have had brainstorms come up with nothing to work with, Characterization I don't have a problem with. Your lucky that you have had critics help sharpen your talent. And I don't know what realtime discussions over MSN is. I could try to help and there are many people here that would be willing to help, just say some ideas
I have a few stories brainstormed; the problem with those is I cannot decide what I want them to be. Are they console rpgs? game plots? Or novelization? So until I decide that, it makes it difficult because I keep changing my mind. The current story I am working on is either a short story, or a novelization; after narrowing down details of the first chapter/act, I began writing a draft. Everytime I seemed to make progress, I had to go back and do more research or rethink some changes. I'm putting a spin on stock tropes by writing about a five man band that makes a daring arrest of a diabolical genius on a university campus. However, this is not what the story is about; and it is not a story about a five man band or an archnemesis. The story is the result of this action. Since my protagonist is an office clerk / administrative assistant who works at a University, I have to do research on details for both. I've never held an office job in my life, and I've never experienced campus life either. Dan.
I had to research campus life for my book that I am writing. It was hard but well worth the effort. I have had office jobs before and they are far from fun, mundane. I like your story idea and I think that it could turn into a novel, if you are willing to put in the time. It sounds like you are in limbo, which one of your ideas hit you more strongly then the other?
Re: One of them has a really corny title - Cliche Breaker - which is about what happens when a tome of eldritch lore falls into the hands of an everyday person; except instead of using its godlike powers to change his world, he uses it to correct the mistakes made by codemasters. This was the initial idea for a game; then it turned into a novel idea involving Dramatica Theory and Murphy's Law. I worked out a lot of grand ideas, but couldn't figure out a good start. Another story has a perfect pitch: a sophomore's life is changed when he is found by a smoking hot angel that says he is God and that she has come to call him back to heaven; the problem is, he doesn't believe her. Many of society's problems dating back centuries falls back on this principle; without a God in heaven, there was little wisdom available to control Sin and so society has been on a morally wayward path for many years. The motifs of the story are intended to be serious; however, the storytelling is intended to be a slice-of-life romantic comedy between two gender opposites, and various love interests that interfere with the protagonist. The female lead realizes that the protagonist has a previously invisible devil-on-his-shoulder; which turns out to be another attractive girl, though she is very miniature (imp-sized) and has a very seductive appearence. Her purpose was to linger around god in mortal form and act as a mental temptress. The angel is not impressed; disappointed, the whole idea seems to have backfired as this god-person is a very big closet pervert. So essentially, he unlocks latent powers, fights a few monsters, and tries to survive assassinations from heaven (since they don't believe he is god) on a quest to realize his destiny and right the wrongs of the world. And then there is another story, which I could write about later.
Hello Dan, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Posting your own work should not be among the very first things you do here. It is worth taking the time to see what other people have done to improve their writing, and see if some of it applies to your writing as well. That is part of why we require members to review other members' work before posting their own for review. On the other hand, there are no restrictions, other than content and copyright rules, on showcasing your work in your member blog. If you haven't explored the site yet, you should probably do so soon. Newcomers often gravitate to the Lounge, the Word Games, or the Review Room, but there is much more to be discovered if you poke in the corners. Remember to check out our FAQ as well, and be sure to read through the forum rules, too, to avoid any misunderstandings or hurt feelings. Respect for one another is our principal mandate. As for the Review Room, new joiners often wonder why we do things a bit differently on this site than on other writing sites. We emphasize reviewing as a critical writing skill. Training your eye by reviewing other people's work helps you improve your own writing even before you present it for others to see. Therefore, we ask members to review other people's writing before posting work of their own. The Review Room forums on this site, therefore, are true workshops, not just a bulletin board for displaying your work (and on that note, please only post each item for review in one Review Room forum). See this post, Why Write Reviews Before Posting My Work? for more information. And while you're looking around, don't forget to check out our Weekly Short Story Contest and Weekly Poetry Contest. They actually run more than one week apiece, but any member may enter, and all members are urged to vote for their favorites. Enjoy your stay here, and have fun!
Welcome to the site. I think we all have problems with writer's block from time to time. Hopefully you will find the tools you need here to get the creativity flowing.
