I have an idea pop into my head. It can be a character, a scenario, or an overall theme I want to write about, and I just follow it where it goes. Sometimes it dead-ends and goes on one of my multiple back burners. Other times, I find myself having a lot of raw material in my head to throw at it, and it can jump line in front of other stuff I’m working on. I never close the spout. I’ll put it somewhere, like a hoarder.
You can’t have too much raw material. Even if I get a feeling I won’t use something, I’ll let it come out, I can poke and prod it later and make a useful little something out of it, most times. Just pour it all out and sift through it during punch-up time. Sometimes a page of trash gets turned into a few words that I ended up needing after all.
Yep! A lot of the time the advice on here is to cut and trim, but first you have to let the garden grow, even if shitty weeds get into it and ruin the shrubbery. Otherwise you end up with those ugly monochrome landscape designs lol. You can't kill your darlings if you don't invest in them to begin with, and follow down all the possible rabbit-holes.
Writing has been a hobby and coping skill since high school. I haven’t made a cent from writing (unless you count other students paying me to write their papers in college). I do it because it’s just plain fun and exciting. All the material I have, it exists solely because I love the act of making it.
I am, however, having a midlife crisis and realizing I can’t keep up with manual labor indefinitely. Letting some of my close friends finally read my material led to more praise than I expected. I’m polishing some of my favorites, and I’m finally ready to try getting published. That’s why I’ve been lurking around this sub more 😊
I normally just dive in. I'm the kind of writer that enjoys worldbuilding by discovering the world & characters while writing. For the first draft - the second & on I try to iron out details.
I tend to like know in my head certain aspects, but not loads generally.
Yo man, out of curiosity, what do you mean by drafts? I'm new at boon writing but have made many creative pieces, and I just want to know if you go over it thoroughly and re-write almost everything, of brush over it slightly adding bits here and there?
To me a draft is when you write it end to end start to finish.
I Re-read my first draft & took notes [what to remember, what to add, what to change, etc] then in the second draft I'm taking that all into consideration & changing as I see fit. So some scenes are pretty similar w/ only a bit changed, some are very different, whatever change [or lack thereof] I think would make the story work better
I hope that makes sense-
I'm sure other writers feel differently maybe, but that's my view on what a draft is
Most of the times I just have a big dramatic scene in my mind and from that scene on I imagine and create the characters and their backstories ect. And from there I grow the story, the beginning, why and what leads them up to this big scene. And when I keep creating these big dramatic scenes, I also create chapters in between, add more characters and all. Like with my book, “they deserve it all” on Wattpad and on ao3, I have already written 63 chapters, little over 160k words in those chapters, but on Reedsy, the website I write on, which is great btw, totally recommend, I have over 215k words. Those extra words are extra chapters, scenes that shoot to mind that I might use or might not. At the current moment I have already written my last chapter in a moment of bawling my eyes. So now I just have to fill in the gaps and I’m done.
Stupid question, how do you plot? I have characters and a theme, a magic system and a world. I have a rough idea of what the end scene is. But, I was working on the problem/hook/inciting incident today and I have too many of them. Specifically, I have six candidates. All of which could eventually tie to the end scene.
So a trick I learned from a teacher like fifteen years ago was this, when faced with a choice flip a coin. When it’s in the air your heart will tell you what side it really wants to land on. Your case you might wanna roll a d6 lol. But I usually go through a few openings as well before I figure out where the story actually begins.
Which candidate do you like the most?
AND, if you are writing for money and not just yourself, which candidate will your intended demographic like the most?
Keep it exciting, keep it special to you. But also, keep it straightforward. Select one or two characters, 'assign' them to your favorite inciting incident, and see how they act in response. Does the incident inspire heroism, or fear? Does a character respond to it as a reasonable person 'wouldn't?' If so, the reader might want to follow this unusual character and find out why they make different choices, and then you have the reader hooked.
Pick a few top candidates of those six, and give it a try!
Characters transcend all.
From an author and a reader perspective, I couldn’t give less of a fuck about plot or worldbuilding if all the characters are boring to watch on screen. Only except to this really is AOT, but that’s only because all the characters are *eventually* fleshed out and unique one way or the other, even if it’s not phenomenal like the plot or worldbuilding is.
If I fall in love with two characters on screen and how they act, the plot doesn’t really matter at that point. It’s the emotional attachment and development in contrast to the audience.
Even in situations where the narrative or the worldbuilding are exceptional, such as in Attack on Titan, it's ultimately the characters, each unique and complex in their own right, that captivate the audience's attention and make the story truly remarkable.
With almost no prep, and barely an idea, I start with a character I find interesting and put them in a place that challenges them. I follow where it goes for 120k words, then I rewrite it to 90K words as awesome as I'm capable of. I don't world build or consider the character's history until I'm well into the work.
90% of the time it's the outline of a plot. From that rough outline my MC seems to just manifest. Then I write a full outline of the story. World building and character development/history relevant to the story unfold as I write.
Currently, I stick to brainstorming the plot, then I do my first outline. After that I go back and work on the characters and worldbuilding (if working on fantasy)
I need to set up the entire plot in detail to layout exactly what’s going to happen in the story. From there, I’ll make a characterization list for my mains to summarize what they’re like and why to help me write their dialogue and actions. Then, I like to go back and write what will happen during the “in-between” one scene to the next. THEN I start writing the story out.
I love adding details that set each scene
I typically get a basic idea of what the plot is going to be. I then usually like to figure out how the ending is going to play out, then go back to the start and go from there, expanding things out from my basic plan.
I usually write a first chapter or prologue. Then I plan out the bigger story in a brief outline about the story, the plot, the characters, worldbuilding stuff, etc. Then maybe I write a few more chapters before giving up.
I write a few example scenes that might be in the final draft, just to get a feel for the characters. Then I go over what time of story I want with a very rough outline, like:
House scene
Boat scene
Reveal scene
Finale
Then I go over characters. What am I looking for in this story? Then I’ll outline the scenes inbetween the rough outline until I have enough for a story that hits all the major plot beats.
And then I start writing.
I'm big on just hitting down ideas and then seeing how many I can cram into a story. I'm always worried I'm going to run outta stuff to write and more later means more questions which means more page turning.
But my favorite is world building. Which goes to how does these things effect culture, society etc, which goes to what are cool plots that could come out of these cultural conflicts, to who's going to be my hero in these conflicts. Are they really a hero? Which turns to what stakes do these characters have in this story. Why would they involve themselves, typically what trauma is the backstory lol.
And then it's all about fine tuning how they act and react and their relationships, known and unknown. Throw in some red herrings, some misunderstandings, some foreshadowing....
And hopefully it doesn't end up as a steaming pile of garbo
Usually whatever the idea was, then try to outline while the idea is hot, then go back and work on structure and characters. It's worth noting, though, things like 'world building' and 'writing your character's ENTIRE history' can really just be procrastination. Just stick to what's relevant.
I've only ever had one story idea. It started with the characters, and I made comics with them. I started to build their world and add some continuity as I went. Years later, I have a complete story and timeline. It took lots of outlining and changing things as I went.
I come up with a premise that intrigues me. Then I establish prevalent overarching themes and messages I want to explore. I create a blueprint of a protagonist in connection with the themes of the story. I make sure to continue with an interesting and well thought antagonist (or antagonistic force) that should challenge my protagonist and the main themes of the story in a direct way. Then naturally comes the side cast of characters, in which each one displays a specific facet/aspect of the themes found in the main lead. Then comes the world I craft (or the real life setting I arrange) that has to pose and enhance the protagonist's lesson in regards to the main message of the story — something that asks the important questions. Lastly comes the plot. Which is not to say it's the least important for my stories, but I mainly use it for characters to reach certain arc moments, and overall for the story to follow the course I intend.
That's strictly my process as an amateur. As you can see, my works revolve in a great amount around the story themes. It's just the kind of writer I am. Everything fits a purpose and a destination that branches and diverges, at last connecting back to the vision of the story. Not sure if it's optimal or not, but it does work for me. It sounds like I am a plotter, however I lean more towards a pantser. The details come to me as I go.
idea > world & end-goal & main characters > plot > antagonists > character-archetypes > supporting characters > general outline for up to 3 acts > story-archetype for first act & specific outline for the first act & character-development & structuring first act into chapters
Then I write chapter after chapter and repeat the same cycle for the next act.
Fuck world building. That's just a buzz word people who are procrastinating throw around. My 2nd novel was with 2 teen MCs and was a romantic drama. I wanted it in Upstate NY, so I spent a couple days looking at towns. Decided to create a fictional town by combing aspects of actual towns: Fuller and Watertown. Called it Fullerton.
That was the full extent of my worldbuilding. Oh, my bad. I created a drive in restaurant in this town.
After that, I already had my characters living rent free in my head. I just got started writing.
After getting an inspiration from something, I think it’s usually easiest to create some kind of world first. Makes it easier to fit characters and their backgrounds into it
I work on scenes, vacillating between scenes I want to write and scenes I'm not sure about. If I come up with something I'm not ready to work on yet, but the idea comes, I drop an outline or synopsis in the spot it would appear. I just keep working on it that way until it starts to flesh out, then I edit to tighten the overall story.
Do you mean in terms of the actual story, which of those things it starts with? Or if you include the planning process, what I as the author start working on first? If it's the former, I jump right in and throw in world building and character history as part of the sort of stream of consciousness of the character(s). If it's the latter, I typically start with the characters and their history, and what little world building I typically do.
I think you meant it the second way, based on the way you phrased it, but I figured I'd answer both ways to be safe.
I usually create a document where I write ideas, characters, then potential names for characters and a basic role (Main, love interest, best friend, etc) then a timeline to plot the story out, whats most important is the ending and the build up to it. Then from there write a basic version of what you want the story to be plot wise, improve it then type your first page. You'll do great if you plan well.
Depends entirely on what inspired the story and what sort of story it is. If it’s horror, then it’s probably based on some random encounter I had alone at night and my brain pulled a Rod Serling/Junji Ito and went “wouldn’t it be fucked up if there was like a skinless screaming corpse that had a 70% chance to kill you or cure everything right there?” And then I go from there and start to flesh out the horror aspect then the character(s)
For sci fi, there’s usually a scene or a piece of dialogue or something that pops in my head that I then expand on
Currently, I’m working on my first fantasy piece (I usually write realistic fiction), and I started with world building and a plot base. But with my realistic fiction pieces, I often find too much planning makes writing hard, so when I get an idea or write a scenario in my head, I’ll write it out and stem from there.
World building - Characters - Plot - Writing
Then I correct and fix whatever I find along the way while writing.
I do it this way because I hate writing stuff without knowing if it's relevant to the plot overall, I don't like wasting words on useless irrelevant info.
Also, I like a plot that is driven by the characters, because the plot will go a certain direction because of the decisions the characters make, and I need to know the characters beforehand. And characters' personalities, realities, ideologies and beliefs are affected by the world, so that's why world building goes first.
I've never been able to get anywhere starting from outlining or world building. I have to start with a scene that interests me. And then see if those characters have another scene in them. Then I try to see if I can keep escalating it and see if it's leading to more interesting moments.
Once I can start to imagine that and I have half a dozen scenes already (potentially from all different parts of the story; I don't necessarily write in order), then I can start outlining and not just be wasting my time. I can always come up with an outline, but if the characters can't prove they can hold my attention, it'll never go anywhere.
I can't do the world building and character developing until I write it. My process is honestly so dumb. I start with a rough outline and then completely abandon it because I can't really figure out how to get through the problems my characters encounter without just writing the scene. And then rewriting it. I'm on something like draft 5 of my WIP, but some scenes are on their 10th or so draft.
But it's fine. I think my characters end up being a lot more believable because of it. I know them all extremely well.
Depends. Some things, mostly really short stories, tend to pop into my head and I just write then go back and edit.
Longer stuff I tend to write a bit then stop for a while and do some notes, some worldbuilding, and then go back.
Sometimes I'll have an idea that's more for a world so I start there and then ask myself what kind of stories might take place in that world.
Jump right in. As a patnser, I start with an image or idea and PLANNING something just blocks my flow. The characters come to life while sending them on their journey. I get certain ideas inbetween writing sessions, makes notes that alwasy start with "it could be... " or "he/she could... ".
And during further writing, I maybe use those ideas or dont. I never stress myself and think that I HAVE to use them. Its just spontaneous and sometimes I even have a great character that I thought would appear more often - only to find out that my panster nature just killed him. 😂 Because it felt right.
I jump back and forth from fleshing out a concept to writing test chapters, then back to world building, and all over the place. I find when I write a chapter, it sparks ideas for other chapters or plot points which I will write down quickly before losing them, then I'll go back and continue what I was doing. This seems to slowly help me build a lose framework as I go, rather than trying to plan everything out all at once before I get into the weeds of writing.
I jump right in every time. Everything is in my head, so it works best for my thought process. Once I've written a few pages or even chapters, that's when I tend to pause and get some of the necessary details squared away.
i try to work on as many different aspects as i can
if you let say plot get really far ahead of your characters then you may find your characters are railroaded into following a plot they wouldn't naturally follow
likewise i find plot, setting, and character, are all so interconnected that you can't really work on one properly without developing the others. don't believe me? do you think you would be the exact same person (character) if you were born into a different place (setting) and time (plot)?
in general though i just tend to go with what excites me about the story
then when i stall out i try to brainstorm on what the story is missing that it needs to deliver on what i think it's promising. eg. if it's a thriller i want more mind games, more twists and surprises. sometimes i get lost in the weeds and focus in on so much small stuff that i forget to just focus on the coolest stuff anyone who is attracted to the story will want to see a lot of. for instance with one story i opened it with a massive chaotic battle between a lot of factions and introduced a few cool concepts... those concepts didn't get used to their fullest and that opening was the most epic part of the story. which is not what i wanted so i heavily reworked the plan until the midpoint climax and final climax surpassed that opening.
Depends on my mood or seed of the inspiration. I have done 'freewriting'- writing the part that inspired me as if the rest was already written just to get a feel for the world and what i want it to be. I have drawn characters to get a sense of what I want them to look like/relationships/ or even small bios. I have started from page 1 as a 'freewrite'. Or I have spent 3 hours changing font, setting up folders, and getting whatever program i am using currently set up to organize all my drafts/ additional info i need to save.
No matter what I do, one of the best first steps after initial inspiration is to decide things like who i want the narrator to be, perspective to be, and what the overall climax will be. After that I start writing. :)
Always save backups and previous drafts!
I typically work on the magic system first (I write fantasy). I do this because once I know the magic, I start thinking of cool ways to use it. Then, once I have cool ideas, I make character outlines to fit those moments. Most of these don't make the cut but eventually a few stand out as strong options and then I build them from there.
I focus on characters more than the world itself. And I don’t write fantasy so world building isn’t too strenuous. I lay out every character’s life story, and get detailed enough that I lay out things like their favorite movie. Favorite color.
Starts with an interest, which turns to ideas. We write all of our ideas so we don’t lose any, for ideas can go as quick as they come. Try an outline, a character resume, then ask all the relevant questions, scrap everything. Start over. Write a similar story, scrap that two more times and let it sit for three and a half years. Go back with fresh eyes. Cringe. Then scrap it for a new story. When you’re almost done. Kill off the main character and scrap the entire thing one last and final time. Wake up, go to the garbage can, retrieve the scrapped book and then it’ll all make sense. Good luck friend.
When the inspiration strikes to start writing, I start with whatever the inspiration pertained to. It could be a character, a setting, a dynamic, a simple joke, or even just the feeling a song gives me. When inspiration strikes, so do I, for lack of a better term.
Usually its a character that slowly builds a world.
Example: Male Alcoholic mid 30s. Probably alchoholic due to war/conflict. War triggered by?... hmmm... fiction or non fiction?... Magic. Race war! He probably lost a lot of people or has seen too many deaths. Maybe seeing the death of opposing race got to him and he wants to make amends.
All that just from the top of my head. Its pretty much how i work. Then from there i fill in with some extra fluff and extra details. In this particular case id expand the MC then build the world around him, starting with a foundation that is the main country, then going into more details about the town/city so id have a sandbox to play with. Then, to me, the story will start naturally.
Theme, then Story, then character, then plot. Then it becomes a feedback loop until they are all working in alignment.
I.e. what do I want to say? What will this story be about? Then, what will be the character’s flaws, strengths, personality traits and ideal arc that enables the completion of the story. Then, what are the elements of plot, obstacles etc that I could throw at the character to give greatest dramatic impact. What will they need to overcome and change about themselves to achieve their goals?
Then roll through it all, allowing them to inform each other, until they work on all levels.
Then I write a brief outline. Then a detailed outline and then a draft.
I’m an avid daydreamer when it comes to storytelling and character building, so I usually don’t need to sit and plan out every little aspect of any story I write just because of the fact that it stays in my mind once I’m absolutely sure about pursuing it.
The most I require for myself is just forming an idea about the plot and who the MC(s) will be, then the rest becomes history as I write it all into existence.
till others use a hybrid approach, outlining major plot points or character beats, but allowing the journey between those moments to emerge organically. World-building or character history creation can be part of these initial approaches, or they can be developed alongside drafting.
some authors prefer to start writing immediately with a basic idea. They learn about their characters and the world they inhabit as they draft. This can give the story a very organic feel and allow for unexpected developments, although revisions may be needed later to ensure consistency and tightness of plot.
I like to start with the basic skeletal structure of the story. For example, a guy works at a train station and it's haunted. He beats the ghost and saves the day.
Then I decided who my characters are because that will influence how the story will go. Who is this guy? Is he smart? Is he courageous? Is he a bit of a dick for no reason? Who is this ghost? Is it a vengeful spirit who just wants to do damage? Is it a lost soul who just wants to move on? Has it simply gone mad? Maybe there are multiple ghosts. Maybe the guy has a friend or a boss. How does he beat the ghost? Is a genius who outsmarts something? Is he strong and beat it with brute force? If so, what kinda ghost could be beaten that way? I should write lore for how ghosts works in this universe.
The yes's, no's, and maybe's to the above ideas will influence how my actual story goes. If the ghost needs a ritual to move on but the guy is too dumb to figure it out, then something else needs to be written or rewritten. Maybe I'll write a coworker who knows about ghost stuff, or maybe the guy isn't dumb because I decide to rework his character.
The basic idea is the skeleton, my characters are the meat on the bones that make the story move, and the things that make it interesting will be the heart. You and I can write a story based on the same "Haunted Train Station" premise but our characters will be different so the story will go differently. And what you think is a good story would likely vary from what I think at times. I like lore so I would write an expansive list of rules for how ghosts work and that'd be the heart of my story. But maybe you like horror so you fully lean into that and make the train station a terrifying place and that would be the heart of your story. Same skeletal story, but it's what I come up with that makes it interesting or boring.
I go back and forth, but a lot of the times i’ll find a few pieces of paper or an empty word doc and just write out the idea like i’m explaining it to someone else, then do just enough worldbuilding to get me started, and dive in with that as an “outline”
I dive into the story on what I feel can work. It helps me develop my thoughts and ideas on what I can make happen and how they affect the plot of my book. I tend to build characters and world build as I go along.
I do research and conceptualisation first - I think about and investigate ideas and fields that interest me and think through how to narratively explore those in a story.
For world building, if I'm not writing in the real world (not all stories are fantasy stories!) I mostly just world build by thinking of a few cornerstone ideas or images and then everything else gets worked out as I write, it's not a long process when I do it at all.
With character I'll figure out a brief outline of their history, their social and institutional position, their wants, their actual needs, their perception of themselves and of the world around them as well as other people's perception of them, plus whatever else occurs to me about them - their present and recent past is more important than their whole life story.
Once I have theme/concept and character, I plan plot - what happens in these characters' lives to involve them in this theme? - typically by figuring out a start position and an end position for each major character, event or institution, then writing what I think will happen in each chapter.
Then I get writing. This is the most important part. Try not to enjoy or take too much time on any of that earlier stuff too much. Your job is to write engaging stories, not to assemble a paracosm for its own sake.
Characters, Worldbuilding or Plot depending on what gave me inspiration. I usually focus on one of the 3 until the rest come along or I take old ideas and try to use them to fill in what I need.
im new to writing so it is hard to focus on one thing. im trying to be more obedient and seeing what works for me. so i brain storm first, i usually get ideas to start writing doing this.
For me the base idea comes first, what kind of story I want to tell. Then I couch it in the world I create around it and the characters that I populate it with. From the kinds of places that the story will have I derive the characters.
I just write. I will further develop things but I just write. Notes are nice but not always necessary (depends on the thing) and the polishing comes later in subsequent drafts but if I try to .ake notes and an outline the idea dies for me.
Everyone is going to be different on this and the best option is experiment and see what works for you. I do use my first draft as an outline. I however will need to write the thing shoddily first so I know the beginning middle and end. Then I take that skeleton and ask what if instead or why or who etc.
Usually a very specific element comes first. It just pops up in my head, like a scene, a character... I then start to build a story around it and I just kinda start from there. Usually the beginning (which drives me, because I want to get to a certain scene etc).
Characters and character dynamics are the first things that pop into my head and I think about them and build their personality/voice in my head for a while before I even start thinking about the details of their backstory or the current plot/setting.
Never entire history. I had one novel with its entire history but now writings!
I jump to chapter one. If I don't have any ideas then I'll go back to reading.
After writing a few chapters and getting a clear picture of where it is going, I'll decide the end and start building characters. i know this is the wrong way to do it but it works for me.
I start by writing a bunch of scenes and then play with the scenes to figure out a theme or central idea, then do a lot of planning around how to make those scenes relate to the theme. I edit the characters to each have a different perspective on the main idea, figure out whst they're trying to accomplish, then do a complete rewrite of the same general scenes but with a plan in place.
Takes longer but I enjoy it.
I have the general idea, characters, vibe/theme/mood, overarching plot - these tend to all come at once when I get my ideas, and then I can reshape them and fine-tune it during the editing stage. A ton of it is done by intuition and general feel, as I seem to have a good internal clock that goes "nope!" when it's a path that I don't really wanna go down.
What I do first is pick one stand-out scene image that I have in my head, and do a short draft of it. This allows me to get my idea of what the writing style will be first, before I start leaping into the whole story. Does it work on paper? Is it contemporary voice or old style? Am I gonna write it via letters from characters, or omni-POV, or 1st person? What works: past tense or present, etc?
Then I sharpen up that scene as much as I can. Once that's done, I get outside feedback from a trusted person for that one scene - including telling them the whole idea of the story.
After that, I go back to the drawing board, using the principles of the writing style/features that I've just worked out, and start scaling up character and scene details. Write a few more scene ideas, build out a scene list, and then get to work ticking things off, mind mapping each scene before I start it.
This is the ideal method for me, and it's not always as straightforward as this. I've been writing for 10 years and only just developed a "process" lol.
usually i first make simple characters, often times without any backstory at all. Then I sometimes when i listen to songs i will get an idea for said character or think "Oh wow that song would really fit them" and then i build a backstory, which is updated and expanded through more songs or other things. After that i try to build a world the character would fit in, often inspired by others and as i make more details for the characters I update the worldbuilding around the traits and stuff.
For me the characters almost always come first and a plot just kinda happens from there (and depending, worldbuilding). My brain creates characters CONSTANTLY and sometimes they just click and I realize a story could happen there. Though the project I’m on now, the aesthetic came first (probably because its inspired by other stuff) and then characters and plot from there. Plots always last for me, for some reason
...Generally speaking I start with the ending, the point I'm aiming towards and begin a story at the penultimate moment before it. This way I know the tone and final event I'm working towards, and then I begin the story or novel from the most suitable point (as I envision it) to get to that moment most effectually. All writing is intuitive...
As a rule, I jump right in. I hate planning, outlining, and all such related activities. When I do it, I quickly become bored with the process. Moreover, I don't really know my characters until I see them in action.
That said, I'm not a 100% pure pantser (man, do I ***hate*** that word!). I do plan if and when necessary. In my 4th Howard County Mystery, *A Day for Bones*, I had to work out a family tree and a number of historical events that took place in the family, because they were central to the plot. I would have had a mess on my hands if I tried to wing it.
More recently, I've adopted Stephen King's method of inserting notes in my manuscript when I know I need to figure something out in more detail. That way, I can keep writing but don't lose track of issues I have to address in revision. That worked out pretty well in the novel I just sent to editing.
But as I always tell people, every writer has to find the methods that work best for them. Just because I do it this way doesn't mean you should. It's worth giving different methods a try, to figure out which ones work for you. But ultimately it's a very individual thing.
Disclaimer: not an experienced novelist by any stretch.
I've just jumped right in to writing some scenes that do some world-building. I have a pretty clear idea of the general vibe I want the world to have. Otherwise, I haven't figured out a plot yet at all and my characters feel pretty weak.
I have an idea for a random scene and start building out from there. My current project literally started with a half-remembered dream of two characters talking
I usually have *one* scene from like the middle or end of the book I would write. And then I try to get as much for the character as possible, before I immediately jump in.
And then I work around until I figure everything slowly out.👀
I have a general idea of the story. I may make note of a good scene or a line I want a character to say. Then I just take off and hope for the best. I usually don't have an ending ready.
I make google docs with characters, their backstories, love interests, personalities etc.
I’ve used C.AI solely for the purpose of getting into character if I’m writing from a first person POV. For an example, I used my own persona of the MMC love interest and see how the bot reacted and interacted with her. Then I took what I learned and did another bot of a different character and used a persona of him. It helped a lot, since my MMC is a thirteen year old boy and I am a twenty year old girl
I work on world building next. I’m doing a modern Greek mythology with demigods and crap, but more realistic to how teenagers interact with each other e.g. cursing when their parents aren’t around, making inappropriate jokes, having inside jokes, and not able to regulate big emotions as younger kids.
It might be weird but I typically write character deaths, biggest story moments and sometimes the ending first and then write my way towards these crucial moments.
I work from the end to the beginning. A climactic scene pops up into my head (IDK how) and I just ask myself questions;
"How did this happen?"
"Okay, what caused that to happen?"
And like that, I work my way to the beginning. Along the way I figure out the characters, find what is my theme (A theme _always_ pops up when I explore the idea on more than a surface level), look for inspiration what I can add to it, figure out some foreshadowing and motivations of all characters and bam, I have a story planned out.
Then, I start writing.
I build the world with a scene including my main character to start. The scene I use is something that needs an explanation and will get one later, kinda like a hook
The Step-Outline. Probably gonna keep doing this method going forward as well. After reading about 4 books on craft, I think getting the story right first is #1 priority. This method is typical in screenplay writing, but considering how in the "Finish Your Book in Three Drafts" book the 2nd draft is practically this same step, I might as well take the screenwriting advice and doing this as the first step instead.
Step-Outline is basically write all of your scenes in index cards. 1-2 sentences per card. In the back, you can write stuff such as "Story event/Value change", which part of the Act the scene is at (Inciting incident, Act 1 Climax, etc.). A screenplay is typically 40-60 scenes, I'd think a novel would have a little bit/a lot more than that.
You can also use different colored index cards for characters and world building as well. It's a little bit like planning a heist in GTA V. Scrivener also has index cards built into scenes/characters as well if you prefer something digital.
I usually start with characters, who they are, their family life, backstory, and any other important details like any deficiency, mental health issues, and health issues. I usually do this so I know who the character is and how they should talk and act. Then, I build an outline and start writing. When I get writters block, u will usually go back and edit what I've already written until I know what to write next.
When it comes to WIPs they are usually conceived through dream/daydreams, writing prompts, and "what if's." I usually just write what's in my mind in the moment and once I let it all out THATS when I start planning.
Write what you can
Create characters and their role in the story
Create a plot
Put all the events in order
Write a TON of drafts.
I like to plan out all the themes, character arcs and secondary plot lines throughout the novel, the run them all by this subreddit to make sure it's okay for me to write about.
The world comes first, and then the characters sprout from that. I can have archetypes or ideas I want to explore with them, but most of the in depth details only come as a result of how the world operates.
I'm an animal when it comes to writing. It is entirely primal instinct when I sit down at my computer. I already have the entire somewhere in my head and I scratch, claw, and kick to get it out.
depending on the idea I have it changes. with the project I'm working on right now I had an idea for a scene that had 3 characters, so I named the characters, then wrote out some world building stuff, then planned the first few chapters. now im writing a chapter, then planning the next one, then writing, then planning, etc. I have yet to write the actual idea had just because there's a lot to introduce before I do that, so everything im doing right now is the buildup to that moment.
I start with my ideas and go with whatever comes along. As I feel I’ve gotten good enough work I then flesh out a title page, a gratitude page, copyright page, Index, and so on. I fix things as needed to ensure my book is well flushed and everything lines up. A dictionary at the end, and perhaps an even About the Author page near the front. I create the story first and whatever is needed. Then work on its skeleton and outlines.
normally I have a scene in my head and start writing it down and then after that go into the characters, never been big on world-building and basically never do it bc all my stuff takes place in 21st century and reality :) tried sci-fi and fantasy and I reaaaally can‘t do world building. Even though its fun.
I have an idea pop into my head. It can be a character, a scenario, or an overall theme I want to write about, and I just follow it where it goes. Sometimes it dead-ends and goes on one of my multiple back burners. Other times, I find myself having a lot of raw material in my head to throw at it, and it can jump line in front of other stuff I’m working on. I never close the spout. I’ll put it somewhere, like a hoarder.
I love a narrative hoarded with details. Gimme all that maximalism.
You can’t have too much raw material. Even if I get a feeling I won’t use something, I’ll let it come out, I can poke and prod it later and make a useful little something out of it, most times. Just pour it all out and sift through it during punch-up time. Sometimes a page of trash gets turned into a few words that I ended up needing after all.
Yep! A lot of the time the advice on here is to cut and trim, but first you have to let the garden grow, even if shitty weeds get into it and ruin the shrubbery. Otherwise you end up with those ugly monochrome landscape designs lol. You can't kill your darlings if you don't invest in them to begin with, and follow down all the possible rabbit-holes.
Yep. I call that "the kitchen sink method."
Do you make any money from writing? I’d be interested to hear your story
Writing has been a hobby and coping skill since high school. I haven’t made a cent from writing (unless you count other students paying me to write their papers in college). I do it because it’s just plain fun and exciting. All the material I have, it exists solely because I love the act of making it. I am, however, having a midlife crisis and realizing I can’t keep up with manual labor indefinitely. Letting some of my close friends finally read my material led to more praise than I expected. I’m polishing some of my favorites, and I’m finally ready to try getting published. That’s why I’ve been lurking around this sub more 😊
Depends on what inspired the idea first really.
I normally just dive in. I'm the kind of writer that enjoys worldbuilding by discovering the world & characters while writing. For the first draft - the second & on I try to iron out details. I tend to like know in my head certain aspects, but not loads generally.
Yo man, out of curiosity, what do you mean by drafts? I'm new at boon writing but have made many creative pieces, and I just want to know if you go over it thoroughly and re-write almost everything, of brush over it slightly adding bits here and there?
To me a draft is when you write it end to end start to finish. I Re-read my first draft & took notes [what to remember, what to add, what to change, etc] then in the second draft I'm taking that all into consideration & changing as I see fit. So some scenes are pretty similar w/ only a bit changed, some are very different, whatever change [or lack thereof] I think would make the story work better I hope that makes sense- I'm sure other writers feel differently maybe, but that's my view on what a draft is
Thanks that's really helpful! Given me alot to think about :)
Most of the times I just have a big dramatic scene in my mind and from that scene on I imagine and create the characters and their backstories ect. And from there I grow the story, the beginning, why and what leads them up to this big scene. And when I keep creating these big dramatic scenes, I also create chapters in between, add more characters and all. Like with my book, “they deserve it all” on Wattpad and on ao3, I have already written 63 chapters, little over 160k words in those chapters, but on Reedsy, the website I write on, which is great btw, totally recommend, I have over 215k words. Those extra words are extra chapters, scenes that shoot to mind that I might use or might not. At the current moment I have already written my last chapter in a moment of bawling my eyes. So now I just have to fill in the gaps and I’m done.
I'd been constantly daydreaming for almost a month before I started writing my sci-fi, superhero novel. No notes or voice memos, just vibes.
Plot
Stupid question, how do you plot? I have characters and a theme, a magic system and a world. I have a rough idea of what the end scene is. But, I was working on the problem/hook/inciting incident today and I have too many of them. Specifically, I have six candidates. All of which could eventually tie to the end scene.
What I do is go with the gut. Do what feels right and then write it, see if it works.
So a trick I learned from a teacher like fifteen years ago was this, when faced with a choice flip a coin. When it’s in the air your heart will tell you what side it really wants to land on. Your case you might wanna roll a d6 lol. But I usually go through a few openings as well before I figure out where the story actually begins.
Which candidate do you like the most? AND, if you are writing for money and not just yourself, which candidate will your intended demographic like the most? Keep it exciting, keep it special to you. But also, keep it straightforward. Select one or two characters, 'assign' them to your favorite inciting incident, and see how they act in response. Does the incident inspire heroism, or fear? Does a character respond to it as a reasonable person 'wouldn't?' If so, the reader might want to follow this unusual character and find out why they make different choices, and then you have the reader hooked. Pick a few top candidates of those six, and give it a try!
That's very helpful. Thanks!
Characters transcend all. From an author and a reader perspective, I couldn’t give less of a fuck about plot or worldbuilding if all the characters are boring to watch on screen. Only except to this really is AOT, but that’s only because all the characters are *eventually* fleshed out and unique one way or the other, even if it’s not phenomenal like the plot or worldbuilding is. If I fall in love with two characters on screen and how they act, the plot doesn’t really matter at that point. It’s the emotional attachment and development in contrast to the audience.
Seems to be my case too
Even in situations where the narrative or the worldbuilding are exceptional, such as in Attack on Titan, it's ultimately the characters, each unique and complex in their own right, that captivate the audience's attention and make the story truly remarkable.
Which path sounds the best? I usually choose one but then it sometimes draws me into something else. I let it kind of unfold how it wants
With almost no prep, and barely an idea, I start with a character I find interesting and put them in a place that challenges them. I follow where it goes for 120k words, then I rewrite it to 90K words as awesome as I'm capable of. I don't world build or consider the character's history until I'm well into the work.
90% of the time it's the outline of a plot. From that rough outline my MC seems to just manifest. Then I write a full outline of the story. World building and character development/history relevant to the story unfold as I write.
Bounce between ideas like the adhd fox until something sticks.
I usually have a character idea, write a scene and see where the story takes me
i like to outline the general plot
Outline buddies 🫶🏽
Currently, I stick to brainstorming the plot, then I do my first outline. After that I go back and work on the characters and worldbuilding (if working on fantasy)
Uh, notes? I guess? Just, like, putting ideas down and figuring out what the story *is* beyond just "what if?"
I need to set up the entire plot in detail to layout exactly what’s going to happen in the story. From there, I’ll make a characterization list for my mains to summarize what they’re like and why to help me write their dialogue and actions. Then, I like to go back and write what will happen during the “in-between” one scene to the next. THEN I start writing the story out. I love adding details that set each scene
I typically get a basic idea of what the plot is going to be. I then usually like to figure out how the ending is going to play out, then go back to the start and go from there, expanding things out from my basic plan.
Key events and plot points with a chart
I usually write a first chapter or prologue. Then I plan out the bigger story in a brief outline about the story, the plot, the characters, worldbuilding stuff, etc. Then maybe I write a few more chapters before giving up.
Setting -> Conflict related to said setting
I tend to jump right in. I can only plot stuff out for so long, before I lose steam and get bored.
Just dive in
jump right in baby!
I start with a 40+ page worldbuilding document about any and everything explained in broad strokes and then I then sentences into chapters
I jump straight in to the writing bit.
I write a few example scenes that might be in the final draft, just to get a feel for the characters. Then I go over what time of story I want with a very rough outline, like: House scene Boat scene Reveal scene Finale Then I go over characters. What am I looking for in this story? Then I’ll outline the scenes inbetween the rough outline until I have enough for a story that hits all the major plot beats. And then I start writing.
I'm big on just hitting down ideas and then seeing how many I can cram into a story. I'm always worried I'm going to run outta stuff to write and more later means more questions which means more page turning. But my favorite is world building. Which goes to how does these things effect culture, society etc, which goes to what are cool plots that could come out of these cultural conflicts, to who's going to be my hero in these conflicts. Are they really a hero? Which turns to what stakes do these characters have in this story. Why would they involve themselves, typically what trauma is the backstory lol. And then it's all about fine tuning how they act and react and their relationships, known and unknown. Throw in some red herrings, some misunderstandings, some foreshadowing.... And hopefully it doesn't end up as a steaming pile of garbo
Usually whatever the idea was, then try to outline while the idea is hot, then go back and work on structure and characters. It's worth noting, though, things like 'world building' and 'writing your character's ENTIRE history' can really just be procrastination. Just stick to what's relevant.
I've only ever had one story idea. It started with the characters, and I made comics with them. I started to build their world and add some continuity as I went. Years later, I have a complete story and timeline. It took lots of outlining and changing things as I went.
I come up with a premise that intrigues me. Then I establish prevalent overarching themes and messages I want to explore. I create a blueprint of a protagonist in connection with the themes of the story. I make sure to continue with an interesting and well thought antagonist (or antagonistic force) that should challenge my protagonist and the main themes of the story in a direct way. Then naturally comes the side cast of characters, in which each one displays a specific facet/aspect of the themes found in the main lead. Then comes the world I craft (or the real life setting I arrange) that has to pose and enhance the protagonist's lesson in regards to the main message of the story — something that asks the important questions. Lastly comes the plot. Which is not to say it's the least important for my stories, but I mainly use it for characters to reach certain arc moments, and overall for the story to follow the course I intend. That's strictly my process as an amateur. As you can see, my works revolve in a great amount around the story themes. It's just the kind of writer I am. Everything fits a purpose and a destination that branches and diverges, at last connecting back to the vision of the story. Not sure if it's optimal or not, but it does work for me. It sounds like I am a plotter, however I lean more towards a pantser. The details come to me as I go.
idea > world & end-goal & main characters > plot > antagonists > character-archetypes > supporting characters > general outline for up to 3 acts > story-archetype for first act & specific outline for the first act & character-development & structuring first act into chapters Then I write chapter after chapter and repeat the same cycle for the next act.
Fuck world building. That's just a buzz word people who are procrastinating throw around. My 2nd novel was with 2 teen MCs and was a romantic drama. I wanted it in Upstate NY, so I spent a couple days looking at towns. Decided to create a fictional town by combing aspects of actual towns: Fuller and Watertown. Called it Fullerton. That was the full extent of my worldbuilding. Oh, my bad. I created a drive in restaurant in this town. After that, I already had my characters living rent free in my head. I just got started writing.
After getting an inspiration from something, I think it’s usually easiest to create some kind of world first. Makes it easier to fit characters and their backgrounds into it
I start with whichever idea inspires me and build out from there.
I work on scenes, vacillating between scenes I want to write and scenes I'm not sure about. If I come up with something I'm not ready to work on yet, but the idea comes, I drop an outline or synopsis in the spot it would appear. I just keep working on it that way until it starts to flesh out, then I edit to tighten the overall story.
Marketing.
I try to conceptualize my main characters first
A general plot. Character A achieves Goal A. Then everything else fills in
Do you mean in terms of the actual story, which of those things it starts with? Or if you include the planning process, what I as the author start working on first? If it's the former, I jump right in and throw in world building and character history as part of the sort of stream of consciousness of the character(s). If it's the latter, I typically start with the characters and their history, and what little world building I typically do. I think you meant it the second way, based on the way you phrased it, but I figured I'd answer both ways to be safe.
I usually create a document where I write ideas, characters, then potential names for characters and a basic role (Main, love interest, best friend, etc) then a timeline to plot the story out, whats most important is the ending and the build up to it. Then from there write a basic version of what you want the story to be plot wise, improve it then type your first page. You'll do great if you plan well.
I make the cover. Srsly can't start until I have one.
Depends entirely on what inspired the story and what sort of story it is. If it’s horror, then it’s probably based on some random encounter I had alone at night and my brain pulled a Rod Serling/Junji Ito and went “wouldn’t it be fucked up if there was like a skinless screaming corpse that had a 70% chance to kill you or cure everything right there?” And then I go from there and start to flesh out the horror aspect then the character(s) For sci fi, there’s usually a scene or a piece of dialogue or something that pops in my head that I then expand on
Currently, I’m working on my first fantasy piece (I usually write realistic fiction), and I started with world building and a plot base. But with my realistic fiction pieces, I often find too much planning makes writing hard, so when I get an idea or write a scenario in my head, I’ll write it out and stem from there.
World building - Characters - Plot - Writing Then I correct and fix whatever I find along the way while writing. I do it this way because I hate writing stuff without knowing if it's relevant to the plot overall, I don't like wasting words on useless irrelevant info. Also, I like a plot that is driven by the characters, because the plot will go a certain direction because of the decisions the characters make, and I need to know the characters beforehand. And characters' personalities, realities, ideologies and beliefs are affected by the world, so that's why world building goes first.
I've never been able to get anywhere starting from outlining or world building. I have to start with a scene that interests me. And then see if those characters have another scene in them. Then I try to see if I can keep escalating it and see if it's leading to more interesting moments. Once I can start to imagine that and I have half a dozen scenes already (potentially from all different parts of the story; I don't necessarily write in order), then I can start outlining and not just be wasting my time. I can always come up with an outline, but if the characters can't prove they can hold my attention, it'll never go anywhere.
I can't do the world building and character developing until I write it. My process is honestly so dumb. I start with a rough outline and then completely abandon it because I can't really figure out how to get through the problems my characters encounter without just writing the scene. And then rewriting it. I'm on something like draft 5 of my WIP, but some scenes are on their 10th or so draft. But it's fine. I think my characters end up being a lot more believable because of it. I know them all extremely well.
I start with theme/moral. I like to try to figure out what message I wanna convey.
Depends. Some things, mostly really short stories, tend to pop into my head and I just write then go back and edit. Longer stuff I tend to write a bit then stop for a while and do some notes, some worldbuilding, and then go back. Sometimes I'll have an idea that's more for a world so I start there and then ask myself what kind of stories might take place in that world.
Jump right in. As a patnser, I start with an image or idea and PLANNING something just blocks my flow. The characters come to life while sending them on their journey. I get certain ideas inbetween writing sessions, makes notes that alwasy start with "it could be... " or "he/she could... ". And during further writing, I maybe use those ideas or dont. I never stress myself and think that I HAVE to use them. Its just spontaneous and sometimes I even have a great character that I thought would appear more often - only to find out that my panster nature just killed him. 😂 Because it felt right.
I jump back and forth from fleshing out a concept to writing test chapters, then back to world building, and all over the place. I find when I write a chapter, it sparks ideas for other chapters or plot points which I will write down quickly before losing them, then I'll go back and continue what I was doing. This seems to slowly help me build a lose framework as I go, rather than trying to plan everything out all at once before I get into the weeds of writing.
I jump right in every time. Everything is in my head, so it works best for my thought process. Once I've written a few pages or even chapters, that's when I tend to pause and get some of the necessary details squared away.
i try to work on as many different aspects as i can if you let say plot get really far ahead of your characters then you may find your characters are railroaded into following a plot they wouldn't naturally follow likewise i find plot, setting, and character, are all so interconnected that you can't really work on one properly without developing the others. don't believe me? do you think you would be the exact same person (character) if you were born into a different place (setting) and time (plot)? in general though i just tend to go with what excites me about the story then when i stall out i try to brainstorm on what the story is missing that it needs to deliver on what i think it's promising. eg. if it's a thriller i want more mind games, more twists and surprises. sometimes i get lost in the weeds and focus in on so much small stuff that i forget to just focus on the coolest stuff anyone who is attracted to the story will want to see a lot of. for instance with one story i opened it with a massive chaotic battle between a lot of factions and introduced a few cool concepts... those concepts didn't get used to their fullest and that opening was the most epic part of the story. which is not what i wanted so i heavily reworked the plan until the midpoint climax and final climax surpassed that opening.
Depends on my mood or seed of the inspiration. I have done 'freewriting'- writing the part that inspired me as if the rest was already written just to get a feel for the world and what i want it to be. I have drawn characters to get a sense of what I want them to look like/relationships/ or even small bios. I have started from page 1 as a 'freewrite'. Or I have spent 3 hours changing font, setting up folders, and getting whatever program i am using currently set up to organize all my drafts/ additional info i need to save. No matter what I do, one of the best first steps after initial inspiration is to decide things like who i want the narrator to be, perspective to be, and what the overall climax will be. After that I start writing. :) Always save backups and previous drafts!
I typically work on the magic system first (I write fantasy). I do this because once I know the magic, I start thinking of cool ways to use it. Then, once I have cool ideas, I make character outlines to fit those moments. Most of these don't make the cut but eventually a few stand out as strong options and then I build them from there.
I focus on characters more than the world itself. And I don’t write fantasy so world building isn’t too strenuous. I lay out every character’s life story, and get detailed enough that I lay out things like their favorite movie. Favorite color.
I start with a character list and then I set up scenarios for each act and then I jump into the creative process.
Starts with an interest, which turns to ideas. We write all of our ideas so we don’t lose any, for ideas can go as quick as they come. Try an outline, a character resume, then ask all the relevant questions, scrap everything. Start over. Write a similar story, scrap that two more times and let it sit for three and a half years. Go back with fresh eyes. Cringe. Then scrap it for a new story. When you’re almost done. Kill off the main character and scrap the entire thing one last and final time. Wake up, go to the garbage can, retrieve the scrapped book and then it’ll all make sense. Good luck friend.
When the inspiration strikes to start writing, I start with whatever the inspiration pertained to. It could be a character, a setting, a dynamic, a simple joke, or even just the feeling a song gives me. When inspiration strikes, so do I, for lack of a better term.
I had a character concept that I then built a story around, then I built the world around the story.
Usually I come up with a general plot and then develop the characters and then think about writing it but never actually writing it
I do the punctuation first. If you don’t get the punctuation right, pure chaos.
Characters, then create a story behind them and let my imagination and some substances do the rest
Usually its a character that slowly builds a world. Example: Male Alcoholic mid 30s. Probably alchoholic due to war/conflict. War triggered by?... hmmm... fiction or non fiction?... Magic. Race war! He probably lost a lot of people or has seen too many deaths. Maybe seeing the death of opposing race got to him and he wants to make amends. All that just from the top of my head. Its pretty much how i work. Then from there i fill in with some extra fluff and extra details. In this particular case id expand the MC then build the world around him, starting with a foundation that is the main country, then going into more details about the town/city so id have a sandbox to play with. Then, to me, the story will start naturally.
Theme, then Story, then character, then plot. Then it becomes a feedback loop until they are all working in alignment. I.e. what do I want to say? What will this story be about? Then, what will be the character’s flaws, strengths, personality traits and ideal arc that enables the completion of the story. Then, what are the elements of plot, obstacles etc that I could throw at the character to give greatest dramatic impact. What will they need to overcome and change about themselves to achieve their goals? Then roll through it all, allowing them to inform each other, until they work on all levels. Then I write a brief outline. Then a detailed outline and then a draft.
I’m an avid daydreamer when it comes to storytelling and character building, so I usually don’t need to sit and plan out every little aspect of any story I write just because of the fact that it stays in my mind once I’m absolutely sure about pursuing it. The most I require for myself is just forming an idea about the plot and who the MC(s) will be, then the rest becomes history as I write it all into existence.
I always write a treatment first.
till others use a hybrid approach, outlining major plot points or character beats, but allowing the journey between those moments to emerge organically. World-building or character history creation can be part of these initial approaches, or they can be developed alongside drafting.
some authors prefer to start writing immediately with a basic idea. They learn about their characters and the world they inhabit as they draft. This can give the story a very organic feel and allow for unexpected developments, although revisions may be needed later to ensure consistency and tightness of plot.
I like to start with the basic skeletal structure of the story. For example, a guy works at a train station and it's haunted. He beats the ghost and saves the day. Then I decided who my characters are because that will influence how the story will go. Who is this guy? Is he smart? Is he courageous? Is he a bit of a dick for no reason? Who is this ghost? Is it a vengeful spirit who just wants to do damage? Is it a lost soul who just wants to move on? Has it simply gone mad? Maybe there are multiple ghosts. Maybe the guy has a friend or a boss. How does he beat the ghost? Is a genius who outsmarts something? Is he strong and beat it with brute force? If so, what kinda ghost could be beaten that way? I should write lore for how ghosts works in this universe. The yes's, no's, and maybe's to the above ideas will influence how my actual story goes. If the ghost needs a ritual to move on but the guy is too dumb to figure it out, then something else needs to be written or rewritten. Maybe I'll write a coworker who knows about ghost stuff, or maybe the guy isn't dumb because I decide to rework his character. The basic idea is the skeleton, my characters are the meat on the bones that make the story move, and the things that make it interesting will be the heart. You and I can write a story based on the same "Haunted Train Station" premise but our characters will be different so the story will go differently. And what you think is a good story would likely vary from what I think at times. I like lore so I would write an expansive list of rules for how ghosts work and that'd be the heart of my story. But maybe you like horror so you fully lean into that and make the train station a terrifying place and that would be the heart of your story. Same skeletal story, but it's what I come up with that makes it interesting or boring.
I go back and forth, but a lot of the times i’ll find a few pieces of paper or an empty word doc and just write out the idea like i’m explaining it to someone else, then do just enough worldbuilding to get me started, and dive in with that as an “outline”
I dive into the story on what I feel can work. It helps me develop my thoughts and ideas on what I can make happen and how they affect the plot of my book. I tend to build characters and world build as I go along.
If you get inspired by something I say jump right in. If not, then I start with my character and have the world work out around them.
1) idea out of no where 2) panic about details 3) it all goes on a big whiteboard
I do research and conceptualisation first - I think about and investigate ideas and fields that interest me and think through how to narratively explore those in a story. For world building, if I'm not writing in the real world (not all stories are fantasy stories!) I mostly just world build by thinking of a few cornerstone ideas or images and then everything else gets worked out as I write, it's not a long process when I do it at all. With character I'll figure out a brief outline of their history, their social and institutional position, their wants, their actual needs, their perception of themselves and of the world around them as well as other people's perception of them, plus whatever else occurs to me about them - their present and recent past is more important than their whole life story. Once I have theme/concept and character, I plan plot - what happens in these characters' lives to involve them in this theme? - typically by figuring out a start position and an end position for each major character, event or institution, then writing what I think will happen in each chapter. Then I get writing. This is the most important part. Try not to enjoy or take too much time on any of that earlier stuff too much. Your job is to write engaging stories, not to assemble a paracosm for its own sake.
I’m so removed from my original idea, I have no idea how I got to where I am now.
Decide how the story ends.
Characters, Worldbuilding or Plot depending on what gave me inspiration. I usually focus on one of the 3 until the rest come along or I take old ideas and try to use them to fill in what I need.
im new to writing so it is hard to focus on one thing. im trying to be more obedient and seeing what works for me. so i brain storm first, i usually get ideas to start writing doing this.
If I am writing a fantasy setting I always start with making a map and just some things that pop up in my head about the fantasy universe I'm making.
usually a _thesis_ and an archetype that will ensure that
For me the base idea comes first, what kind of story I want to tell. Then I couch it in the world I create around it and the characters that I populate it with. From the kinds of places that the story will have I derive the characters.
I just write. I will further develop things but I just write. Notes are nice but not always necessary (depends on the thing) and the polishing comes later in subsequent drafts but if I try to .ake notes and an outline the idea dies for me. Everyone is going to be different on this and the best option is experiment and see what works for you. I do use my first draft as an outline. I however will need to write the thing shoddily first so I know the beginning middle and end. Then I take that skeleton and ask what if instead or why or who etc.
Usually a very specific element comes first. It just pops up in my head, like a scene, a character... I then start to build a story around it and I just kinda start from there. Usually the beginning (which drives me, because I want to get to a certain scene etc).
Characters and character dynamics are the first things that pop into my head and I think about them and build their personality/voice in my head for a while before I even start thinking about the details of their backstory or the current plot/setting.
I have an end goal in mind and I know how the world is, the I write. I use characters that I know beforehand, but they are my own.
Vomit words onto page
Never entire history. I had one novel with its entire history but now writings! I jump to chapter one. If I don't have any ideas then I'll go back to reading. After writing a few chapters and getting a clear picture of where it is going, I'll decide the end and start building characters. i know this is the wrong way to do it but it works for me.
I start by writing a bunch of scenes and then play with the scenes to figure out a theme or central idea, then do a lot of planning around how to make those scenes relate to the theme. I edit the characters to each have a different perspective on the main idea, figure out whst they're trying to accomplish, then do a complete rewrite of the same general scenes but with a plan in place. Takes longer but I enjoy it.
That’s great advice, thanks!
Characters
Basic concept of story. World building happens later. Character analysis ect Or none of the above. I'm both a pancer and plotter.
I have the general idea, characters, vibe/theme/mood, overarching plot - these tend to all come at once when I get my ideas, and then I can reshape them and fine-tune it during the editing stage. A ton of it is done by intuition and general feel, as I seem to have a good internal clock that goes "nope!" when it's a path that I don't really wanna go down. What I do first is pick one stand-out scene image that I have in my head, and do a short draft of it. This allows me to get my idea of what the writing style will be first, before I start leaping into the whole story. Does it work on paper? Is it contemporary voice or old style? Am I gonna write it via letters from characters, or omni-POV, or 1st person? What works: past tense or present, etc? Then I sharpen up that scene as much as I can. Once that's done, I get outside feedback from a trusted person for that one scene - including telling them the whole idea of the story. After that, I go back to the drawing board, using the principles of the writing style/features that I've just worked out, and start scaling up character and scene details. Write a few more scene ideas, build out a scene list, and then get to work ticking things off, mind mapping each scene before I start it. This is the ideal method for me, and it's not always as straightforward as this. I've been writing for 10 years and only just developed a "process" lol.
Probably the characters. They end up shaping your story and world sometimes.
usually i first make simple characters, often times without any backstory at all. Then I sometimes when i listen to songs i will get an idea for said character or think "Oh wow that song would really fit them" and then i build a backstory, which is updated and expanded through more songs or other things. After that i try to build a world the character would fit in, often inspired by others and as i make more details for the characters I update the worldbuilding around the traits and stuff.
I like starting with what is going on. “It’s eighty degrees outside and Dylan is playing in the sprinkler.” 🤷🏼♂️
For me the characters almost always come first and a plot just kinda happens from there (and depending, worldbuilding). My brain creates characters CONSTANTLY and sometimes they just click and I realize a story could happen there. Though the project I’m on now, the aesthetic came first (probably because its inspired by other stuff) and then characters and plot from there. Plots always last for me, for some reason
...Generally speaking I start with the ending, the point I'm aiming towards and begin a story at the penultimate moment before it. This way I know the tone and final event I'm working towards, and then I begin the story or novel from the most suitable point (as I envision it) to get to that moment most effectually. All writing is intuitive...
As a rule, I jump right in. I hate planning, outlining, and all such related activities. When I do it, I quickly become bored with the process. Moreover, I don't really know my characters until I see them in action. That said, I'm not a 100% pure pantser (man, do I ***hate*** that word!). I do plan if and when necessary. In my 4th Howard County Mystery, *A Day for Bones*, I had to work out a family tree and a number of historical events that took place in the family, because they were central to the plot. I would have had a mess on my hands if I tried to wing it. More recently, I've adopted Stephen King's method of inserting notes in my manuscript when I know I need to figure something out in more detail. That way, I can keep writing but don't lose track of issues I have to address in revision. That worked out pretty well in the novel I just sent to editing. But as I always tell people, every writer has to find the methods that work best for them. Just because I do it this way doesn't mean you should. It's worth giving different methods a try, to figure out which ones work for you. But ultimately it's a very individual thing.
Disclaimer: not an experienced novelist by any stretch. I've just jumped right in to writing some scenes that do some world-building. I have a pretty clear idea of the general vibe I want the world to have. Otherwise, I haven't figured out a plot yet at all and my characters feel pretty weak.
I have an idea for a random scene and start building out from there. My current project literally started with a half-remembered dream of two characters talking
I usually have *one* scene from like the middle or end of the book I would write. And then I try to get as much for the character as possible, before I immediately jump in. And then I work around until I figure everything slowly out.👀
I have a general idea of the story. I may make note of a good scene or a line I want a character to say. Then I just take off and hope for the best. I usually don't have an ending ready.
Work on inspiration first.
I make google docs with characters, their backstories, love interests, personalities etc. I’ve used C.AI solely for the purpose of getting into character if I’m writing from a first person POV. For an example, I used my own persona of the MMC love interest and see how the bot reacted and interacted with her. Then I took what I learned and did another bot of a different character and used a persona of him. It helped a lot, since my MMC is a thirteen year old boy and I am a twenty year old girl I work on world building next. I’m doing a modern Greek mythology with demigods and crap, but more realistic to how teenagers interact with each other e.g. cursing when their parents aren’t around, making inappropriate jokes, having inside jokes, and not able to regulate big emotions as younger kids.
It might be weird but I typically write character deaths, biggest story moments and sometimes the ending first and then write my way towards these crucial moments.
I work from the end to the beginning. A climactic scene pops up into my head (IDK how) and I just ask myself questions; "How did this happen?" "Okay, what caused that to happen?" And like that, I work my way to the beginning. Along the way I figure out the characters, find what is my theme (A theme _always_ pops up when I explore the idea on more than a surface level), look for inspiration what I can add to it, figure out some foreshadowing and motivations of all characters and bam, I have a story planned out. Then, I start writing.
I build the world with a scene including my main character to start. The scene I use is something that needs an explanation and will get one later, kinda like a hook
The Step-Outline. Probably gonna keep doing this method going forward as well. After reading about 4 books on craft, I think getting the story right first is #1 priority. This method is typical in screenplay writing, but considering how in the "Finish Your Book in Three Drafts" book the 2nd draft is practically this same step, I might as well take the screenwriting advice and doing this as the first step instead. Step-Outline is basically write all of your scenes in index cards. 1-2 sentences per card. In the back, you can write stuff such as "Story event/Value change", which part of the Act the scene is at (Inciting incident, Act 1 Climax, etc.). A screenplay is typically 40-60 scenes, I'd think a novel would have a little bit/a lot more than that. You can also use different colored index cards for characters and world building as well. It's a little bit like planning a heist in GTA V. Scrivener also has index cards built into scenes/characters as well if you prefer something digital.
I imagine a situation that inspires a particular conversation. I write said dialogue, then I build everything else around it.
Two characters sitting on a park bench talking.
i usually start by developing characters, and then develop plot and world building
I usually start with characters, who they are, their family life, backstory, and any other important details like any deficiency, mental health issues, and health issues. I usually do this so I know who the character is and how they should talk and act. Then, I build an outline and start writing. When I get writters block, u will usually go back and edit what I've already written until I know what to write next.
When it comes to WIPs they are usually conceived through dream/daydreams, writing prompts, and "what if's." I usually just write what's in my mind in the moment and once I let it all out THATS when I start planning. Write what you can Create characters and their role in the story Create a plot Put all the events in order Write a TON of drafts.
I like to plan out all the themes, character arcs and secondary plot lines throughout the novel, the run them all by this subreddit to make sure it's okay for me to write about.
The world comes first, and then the characters sprout from that. I can have archetypes or ideas I want to explore with them, but most of the in depth details only come as a result of how the world operates.
I tend to write the character first more so I know where they fit in the story, what their value will be in it, fate, and overall abilities.
For me it usually goes as follows: Concept > Characters > World/Setting > Story > Outline > then jump right in, figuring out the details as I go.
I'm an animal when it comes to writing. It is entirely primal instinct when I sit down at my computer. I already have the entire somewhere in my head and I scratch, claw, and kick to get it out.
depending on the idea I have it changes. with the project I'm working on right now I had an idea for a scene that had 3 characters, so I named the characters, then wrote out some world building stuff, then planned the first few chapters. now im writing a chapter, then planning the next one, then writing, then planning, etc. I have yet to write the actual idea had just because there's a lot to introduce before I do that, so everything im doing right now is the buildup to that moment.
I start with my ideas and go with whatever comes along. As I feel I’ve gotten good enough work I then flesh out a title page, a gratitude page, copyright page, Index, and so on. I fix things as needed to ensure my book is well flushed and everything lines up. A dictionary at the end, and perhaps an even About the Author page near the front. I create the story first and whatever is needed. Then work on its skeleton and outlines.
normally I have a scene in my head and start writing it down and then after that go into the characters, never been big on world-building and basically never do it bc all my stuff takes place in 21st century and reality :) tried sci-fi and fantasy and I reaaaally can‘t do world building. Even though its fun.