hi I’m Phoenix (also called Nixy for short) ..big fan of Zelda and fantasy stuff. Have AuDHD and Hyperphantasia. Have Tulpa’s too..had a massive vivid wonderland inside my mindscape that I’ve kept secret since childhood. I’m in my mid 50’s now Spend a lot of time alone due to physical issues mostly housebound/bed bound so need to worry about my imagination interrupting my ability to have a life etc. I would like to create a story based on my inner world but have no idea where to start as far as writing an actual book is concerned (or when to know where it should end!). I found this forum after searching for Hyperphantasia forum/groups and a post from here came up. In most other places it’s something you’re supposed to be joining with view to being ‘cured of it’ such as Maladaptive Daydreaming but I believe it’s the reason I’ve survived and helps me cope. I’d like to have a go at writing a book based on my inner world and Tulpa’s but have no idea how to get started.
Perhaps you could open a blank page on a writing program and see what comes up first? Perhaps it's a character in your world, or just you describing a bit of the world for yourself. It doesn't need to be perfect when you start out. Our first bits of writing are usually for ourselves anyway, so we get the story down and can then edit and revise them. Since you also have had this wonderland inside your mind since you were a kid, you are very familiar with it, but still perhaps you can write down some details about it for yourself? If you want to write a book about it, you should maybe first try to find out what kind of a writer you are. Are you someone who just writes without a plan or structure? Or do you need an outline? Or something in-between? An outline is like a set of key points of what should happen inside each chapter. Perhaps you like to have an outline, but then as you write, a character does something unexpected and guides you to create a new outline? That can happen as well. There is a myriad of ways to get started, but you should do what may work best for you. Welcome to the forum, Nixy.
hi thanks. My problem is due to the ADHD issues my brain is so disorganised I don’t know where to start and a blank white sheet feels hugely overwhelming! I don’t suppose there’s some kind of ‘step-by-step tool’ to get me started on what parts of a story are important so I could at least start by following that then see what happens once `I get going???
I'm not someone who reads at all, or who likes to edit or plan my stories a lot. I love to let the imagination run wild, basically enjoying the story myself as it writes itself. That is why I like writing fantasy, where anything is possible. Your own inner motivations can guide world building and character development if you let imagination flow. Characters have to be developed over the course of the story anyway, so starting in a fantasy setting with a blank character will allow your inner world to transition on to the page. I love doing this, since the characters usually end up being very personal, reflecting my own fear and joy. But this works mostly if you write as a hobby like me, I think, I'm not sure how to write for commercial goals. This is probably why I will never be an author, but enjoy writing a lot. If you want to write something to publish, I am sure the more experienced writers here have good advice. Imagination is such a limitless gift, and empty pages are endless. Welcome to the forum.
Hmm, that complicates things. I found this online, perhaps it can help you? Link: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/writing-hub/how-to-write-a-novel-a-step-by-step-guide/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjws-S-BhD2ARIsALssG0aB6yNatKZqJScQGwlVLAi1cfc2Wi0SMelfBMqtaPrXuWpDxBYfxGcaAjXfEALw_wcB If not, then maybe try paraphrasing an already existing bit of text using your own words and ideas? For example, a text about a dog going from his little doghouse to the pool, you could replace the dog with a being from your world, then replace his house with a description of an abode from your mindscape, etc?
Hello and welcome Nixy, we're glad you've joined us. An outlining method may help you get started. A good one is the Snowflake Method of outlining a novel. With it, you begin with one summary sentence and then branch out from there. There are several webpages that explain how to use the Snowflake Method, like the one at the link below: https://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/articles/snowflake-method/ Whenever you have a question about writing as your novel progresses, start a thread and you'll get answers from the community. Looking forward to seeing you in the forums!
Thanks…I’m not sure if it would be published I have not yet decided whether it will go that far! I’m not someone who could cope with fame well …not that I’d be expecting anything I wrote to be on same scale as Harry Potter etc! Even going through the process of dealing with publishers maybe too much. I do have chronic fatigue too so though it’s easy to close my eyes and watch my Tulpa’s create their own stories inside …..me finding the energy to get up and start writing things down is a whole other thing. I get arthritis in my hands..my left hand is still recovering from a recent injury with high levels of pain and inflammation so currently typing one handed on iPad with a word and sentence prediction to speed things up! I was actually taught to touch type many moons ago at business studies college so I do like a ‘proper keyboard’ for the tactile feedback when my hands aren’t too bad! As I have had my Tulpa’s for many years most of their personalities have evolved quite a significant degree from where they started anyway, they have now created their own companions inside and this is the story I would like to document as there seems to be very few actual detailed descriptions of the inner world of people with autism/hyperphantasia/Tulpa’s etc. My difficulty is my world is so vast and their adventures have been going on for so long I don’t know where to start putting things on paper and what things other people would find interesting or fascinating enough that they had to keep reading etc!
I'm not very familiar with tulpamancy (if that is what you are talking about), but what about creating a new adventure for them for the sake of a story, and since you say they are quite evolved, part of the experience would be for you to introduce them to the reader, with their unique personalities. If you write just for yourself, a new setting and adventure could be fun? Hope I am understanding, please excuse me if it doesn't make sense. Speaking for myself I am pretty lazy to actually write. Sometimes I just lie around for hours daydreaming an adventure with intricate characters and worlds that never get written down, and that is also fun. But sometimes I read something and it just triggers an emotion, and I feel compelled to write it down and even share it for better or worse. Its part of a kind of therapy called Active Imagination, and sharing the story somehow enhances the therapeutic value. But I wont get into all that haha.
We do like big open world video games to get inspiration for new landscapes etc and have ‘holodecks’ inside (wonder where we got that idea from! ) for kind of environments that don’t fit in with the main living area inside. We like the idea of creating an adventure specifically for a book ..found some cards called “Fabula’ and they’re like cue cards you can stick to a white board and the write down ideas, that would be good cos they can then put down their ideas and we can see what we can come up with. Their website suggests they’ve been used for famous novels and movies or are what writers and directors use. So thinking of getting a giant whiteboard and some of these cards so they can also play a part in writing the story.
