Hello, I'm a new writer starting out but I have no idea what to write! I have so many different ideas about plotlines, how I want characters to develop and the worlds I want to write about. I'm paralyzed in my writing because I don't know how to choose what to write. When I have adjusted enough of my ideas to write a story I come up with another idea that I'm enthusiastic about that doesn't fit at all with the story I decided to write. Help! How do I settle down to write a story? I'm getting sick of plotting out these various stories then abandoning them. I feel like I'm wasting my time
Believe me, I am in the exact same boat as you are in. 100% in the same boat. In fact, I think we may be sharing the same space! I'll take the stern and the rudder, and you man the oars, 'k? All joking aside, I think you could try to write multiple stories at once, as in, have many, many first drafts going at the same time. If you want to write on one thing, write on that one thing. If you feel like doing another, do that other thing.
Write. Write. Write. It can be difficult to focus when so many ideas present themselves ... write what you need to but don't wait until all the circumstances are perfect because they never will be. And don't expect your first draft to be perfect. Rare is the writer who is ever fully satisfied with his/her work... and doubtly so before two drafts.
My advice is to pick the idea least like any other book you've read, alter it to make it even more different from what you've read, and build from there. It may be difficult, but you'll have fewer memories or stereotypes or existing things to draw on, so it will be a valuable learning experience. But the more important, overriding advice? Go into every story believing that it'll end up worth publishing. Even if you fail a hundred times (like me), the practice and failure is required for eventual success.
The best thing to do is, to write. Whatever you want to write, from you're different plotlines and which idea's you like best, then you should delvoped that. If you can, write everyday but even it's a lot of rubbish but it does help.
If you have a hundred little story ideas, write a hundred little stories. A couple paragraphs each will suffice. Some of them, you'll discover, will demand more than a couple paragraphs. Run with those. Some will haunt your thoughts later, and spawn new ideas. Go back to them and let it flow. Eventually, you will have a handful that you feel have real potential. Focus on those. Meanwhile, you will begin to develop your style and confidence.
Sounds like you have many half-baked plots and not enough discipline to complete your stories. The good news is that it's a very common problem for beginner writers. Like Cog said, start small. Write very short stories. If you find it difficult to do even that, that means your story/plot needs a direction. It helps to have a prompt and navigate your plot idea to suit that prompt.
Write one short story a day if you are feeling scattered with hundreds of ideas. Eventually, you will get into a groove and be able to focus better on longer stories.
How I chose my first novel that I'm currently doing was essentially brainstorm. I sat down one and went through the ideas in head and picked the one that most interests me at that moment. I have a few documents about with different ideas which have evolved over time which includes the one I choose (which actually evolved from another idea that wasn't up to scratch). I'd say take a few of your ideas and write a brief synopsis, don't worry about details as it's more than likely to change as you write. Read through them all and pick the one that stands out and remember to pick the one you like and not what you think others will like.
I had the same problem to one day I thought of one of the best plot lines to follow and after that i've ignored any ideas that decided to jump into my head the best thing you can do is to think about one of your best plots/stories and focus on that write a Fast outline of the entire book dont stop and get lazy outline the entire book and then if you like how the story turned out start writing it. But it took me over two years to get to the point where i am right now so just keep writing let all of those ideas get on paper it'll improve your writing skills.
I have exactly the same problem! I tend to want to write in the same genre that I'm reading and as I read a lot, my stories change quite a bit. The best advice I can give you is to write what you enjoy reading and don't worry if it's good untill after you've written it
Just write. Some stories may prove to be dead ends - others may be fruitful. All writing is good practice.
I write multiples stories at once. I have a few hundred half-finished stories, and usually I'm actively working on somewhere around 3-5 of them. If a story inspires me enough, I eventually finish it. (I have several finished novel - sadly I'm finding getting published is harder than writing a novel.)
Same here! Scenes and plot ideas come from time to time. I probably should write them down and then look if they fit into a story-in-process or two. But guess do I do so? I put ideas as forks of the road. Then I'm confused about how the plot should really go. I'd suggest you write all the ideas down and when you can go deeper into them. Don't mind if the notes aren't exact. You can build something around them later. Or connect to other stories. Good inspiration to you!
Here is how I handle that problem. I sit down and write down a paragraph synopsis of every story idea I have. Then I get notecards and write a working title on one side, and that paragraph synopsis on the other side. I tape them to the wall above my desk. Then I just start writing. When I get bored, I start a new one. etc. There are major pros and cons to this style. It works out great because I'm always passionate about a story I'm working on! However, it sucks because it becomes EXTREMELY hard to finish a story. So that is why I am trying to adapt my style into a "Finish this story, and my prize is starting the new story" type style. As long as you're writing, and happy, just write! It's far to easy to psych yourself from writing anything. So sit down, and just start writing one story. You don't have to be married to it, that is what is amazing about being a hobbyist writer. You can switch stories whenever you want! EDIT: Also, don't be afraid to combine stories! Some of the best stories I've written have been two half stories, then I combine them and re-write them and the plots sync up great! Don't forget to let writing be FUN, that's the most important element to writing as a hobby.
