hi so I have a lot of brilliant ideas that don't tend to work so well when turned into stories and not sure how to keep them going. Any help would be appreciated? Beth
I try to remember to treat them like clay that is to be made into a pot. You may have to start over more than once with the same clay before it really takes shape. Be ready to take it apart and put it back together in a different way. Be ready to acknowledge that the first part you write may just be warm-up and the story takes on a different shape as you go along and you end up having to lose that first bit, or rework it, it put it somewhere later in the story.
Ah - maybe you're explaining too much and not sticking in the character's shoes? I find when I stick in the characters shoes and have them in the scene discovering things, feeling things, giving their opinions it becomes easier for me to keep an interest in the story. As now I'm thinking okay, what can I stick this character through now? I want to know what happens next. It's less about the story or idea and it becomes the character's journey and then I start to care about him/her and want to see them not just succeed but overcome obstacles.
Generally, the beginning needs to define some kind of problem or issue the main character has, the middle needs to show how he/she works towards a solution, the end needs to show the resolution to the problem/issue. Finally you can say how the experience has changed the charterer, the moral of the story etc.
Have you tried thoroughly planning out scenes before you start writing? Maybe you are not the sort of writer who discovers their story while writing, but who will be more comfortable with following a script.
