Hi, I'm Schilcote (whoever leaves out the c will be flamed). I have really good ideas in my head, but I can't write them. When I'm bored I'll daydream, and create very epic scenes of fiction, but if I try to write anything down, it comes out like a technical manual (my brain works like a computer, because of my childhood, and that might have something to do with it). I probably have 25% of a book in my daydreams, but I just can't get them on paper. I'll try to describe the most powerful scene I've imagined. An unspecified ailen force is attacking earth, and the main character, a super-powerful millitary robot built by the elder race, is trying to save the earth. The ailen force is too strong, and he is too damaged to fight on. In a last act of self-sacrifice, he throws open his reactor door, letting out an enormous torrent of quantum energy, which brings all the machines on earth to life, to do the deed that all machines are driven to do, protect and serve their creators. Commadore 64s and Amigas and Formula-1 racecars and airplanes and trucks and tanks and toys all join to create a massive army, and strike down the attacking ailens. How should I make my passages less dry?
You just have to knuckle down, get it on paper and see whether there's any 'life' to what you wrote. Some people can't write, some can't paint. Sometimes you just aren't destined for something! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you though!
Do some research about how plots and stories are constructed. I like the idea of the "elder race" but an ultra powerful main character is a bad idea. Main characters need to be flawed and have something nearly impossible in their way. Think of Luke taking on the Empire - or Frodo taking the Ring all the way to the Mountain of Doom.
I usually have the same problem with daydreaming too much about scenes and not actually having the balls to sit down and write about it. When I find myself in a rut like this, I usually try to sit down one day and map out the story. I don't actually sit down and write out a detailed description of ever scene, I rather just sit and write one or two lines that I think have the most meaning behind that part of the story. And then, at a later date, I will go back and read those short descriptions, pick the one that influences me the most that day, and then start to daydream about that one scene for the rest of the day while collecting these thoughts onto paper. This is what I call a rough draft for me. Nothing's ever written out perfectly or anything, just ideas thrown all over the page like an artist dabbing paint all over his canvas. Then, when the time comes, I edit. Or, write, as I would call it. Hope this helps.
Hello Shilcote, 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. Also, be aware that posting a piece of writing on any public site, including this one, will greatly diminish your chances of selling it for publication. Removing the writing later does not alter that fact - once posted, it is irreversibly considered published. So do not post anything more than a small excerpt of any piece you are planning to submit for publication. 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 constructive critique as a vital 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). Also, please use the same thread for all revisions and additional excerpts from the same piece of writing. 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!
I think my posts are vanishing... either I'm not entering them properly or they are being moderated... I could have sworn I posted this link: http://www.musik-therapie.at/PederHill/Structure&Plot.htm Cogito, are you messing with my head???
... Thanks for the warm welcome, but I'd still like to put up a sample for pepole to examine to at least get some sense of my writing. If it's absolutely neccesary I'll go review some writing and come back here. I wrote a little example text right after I posted of the idea that I was talking about in the original post, but if you really don't want me to post it I wont. And on a totally unrelated note: I am hungry.
I am the exact same way as you, funny enough. I daydream almost a whole book but only a little bit gets on paper.
Write what you see happening in your head. Choose the most important details by using strong verbs and nouns that will cause the reader to create a movie in his mind's eye. Don't try to get the reader to see what is in your head, as that is impossible. Rather, try to get him to create his own movie that resembles yours. A man walked along a sidewalk. John walked along the sidewalk on Fifth Street. John pushed through people on the sidewalk, at the same time, trying to light a cigarette. The last sentence, I believe paints the strongest movie, a movie that everyone will imagine differently.
Hi. Start with the bland description and then rework it slowly, over and over until you get the desired result. Ex. Dan thinks Mike is boring. Version 1 - I think Mike's boring, thought Dan. Version 2 - "Mike, you're boring," said Dan. Version 3 - "Ya know why you are going to die alone Mike? You're boring! Women don't want that." Version 4 - "Dry white toast and water for breakfast?! God damn it Mike, you know what your problem is? Your whole life is gray. Boring, plain, makes me want to smash your head in with hammer just to get something different out of you, gray. Man ... you're gonna die alone ... and bored."
I have that problem frequently, where it's easier to daydream an idea than write it out. You do need to find a way to motivate yourself to write if that's really what you want to do, but it's also important to find an area to write where you feel comfortable. You won't get much done if you're trying to write in an area that's uncomfortable or there are a lot of distractions. Find a place you can focus. Good luck! ~Eliza
