Well, I know how to write a story, generally, but it's the one I'm about ready to start that is confusing the hell out of me. I just don't know how exactly to begin it. It's a true story if that changes anything. Mainly, I just wonder if I should introduce myself and the other people involved or just start the story and give introductions as it goes on? I'm just looking for advice and ideas here.
How To Begin A Story
- Thread starter Twitch15
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lovecraft68
Bad Doggie
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Start with yourself and introduce as you move along. In my experience getting everyone "out there" quickly makes the start seem rushed and you don;t get to fully meet the characters as well as if it's done one at a time.
Cicca_Jai
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perhaps...
Maybe you can try this...
I had an Idea, did my research etc, but was unable to get the first bit going... However I had a decent idea of how the second part was going to go. So I started in the middle, where I knew what I wanted.
Now, finding myself able to finish the first part, I am happy that I did not allow this block to slow me down.
I carry a tape recorder with me at all times because insperations stike when one is usualy far from their pc. ( at least in my case. ) This has kept me from losing some wonderful matterial.
Hope that helps,
~C~
Maybe you can try this...
I had an Idea, did my research etc, but was unable to get the first bit going... However I had a decent idea of how the second part was going to go. So I started in the middle, where I knew what I wanted.
Now, finding myself able to finish the first part, I am happy that I did not allow this block to slow me down.
I carry a tape recorder with me at all times because insperations stike when one is usualy far from their pc. ( at least in my case. ) This has kept me from losing some wonderful matterial.
Hope that helps,
~C~
Maybe a description of when it happened, whatever it is? (For example, "It was the summer before last when I met her in the park on a hot July afternoon.")
Or a revelation that this is a true story? ("What I'm about to tell you really happened to me, and I can scarcely believe it myself, but it's the honest to God truth.")
Or a revelation that this is a true story? ("What I'm about to tell you really happened to me, and I can scarcely believe it myself, but it's the honest to God truth.")
I already have that part in there haha. That's what I started with. I was just stuck on what came after that.
Well, it's a long, long story, but the gist of it is a (sort of) romance story between myself and a girl I have known for a long time. I don't want to give too much away yet, but most of the people (or at least the girls) who know the story say that it sounds like a real life modern day fairy tale. I dunno if that helps out any.
PennLady
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Are you writing in first person? That could make a difference. All of my stories are in 3d person and I almost always start with dialogue. I don't mean to, I just do. I think it makes the reader curious about who said what and why, or at least I hope so, and they keep going. Starting in first person might make me start differently, though.
CWatson
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No, you can start with dialogue in first-person too. That's a trick that works no matter what.
Twitch, what I would do is something like this: start with either what Yuna said ("This is the story of [etc-etc-etc]"), or with the line of dialogue that made the entire experience start ("Hey, wanna jump on me and fuck me silly?" or somesuch). Either way, you then have a chance to work explanations into the narrative. You'll have to do some explaining as to this girl, how long you've known her, why you like her, etc... but that doesn't have to come first. In fact, it should come last.
What I mean is this: maybe two people are sitting there and they're having a dialogue.
That's how you handle exposition (aka infodumps) when you don't just wanna throw it all at the beginning: you leave it out until doing so would be a mistake. You don't include it until it becomes critical to The Reader's understanding of the story.
Hope this helps. =)
Twitch, what I would do is something like this: start with either what Yuna said ("This is the story of [etc-etc-etc]"), or with the line of dialogue that made the entire experience start ("Hey, wanna jump on me and fuck me silly?" or somesuch). Either way, you then have a chance to work explanations into the narrative. You'll have to do some explaining as to this girl, how long you've known her, why you like her, etc... but that doesn't have to come first. In fact, it should come last.
What I mean is this: maybe two people are sitting there and they're having a dialogue.
So far it seems pretty simple; in fact, the two people in the dialogue could be of either gender and nothing would change. But then you throw in the Wham Line, the thing that opens the whole story up:example by CWatson said:
Now you need to start giving some background, because this is a line that requires context. Who are these two characters, and is this normal for them? And, as such, I'd do some background-building here, explain who the characters are, and why this line is a big deal (or isn't). But notice that I waited until the very last second.example by CWatson said:
That's how you handle exposition (aka infodumps) when you don't just wanna throw it all at the beginning: you leave it out until doing so would be a mistake. You don't include it until it becomes critical to The Reader's understanding of the story.
Hope this helps. =)
fire_breeze
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This is what I do, almost constantly. I almost always write the introduction/first part of anything last. I think I've had only one instance where I knew how I wanted to begin. Once I have the major themes written, it's then that I hammer the introduction to fit the story. Unfortunately, there isn't a 'one-size-fits-all' approach.
Another suggestion is to read read read. Read those stories that you enjoy and try to emulate their patterns. For example, you may like raw stories, that uses hard and short adjectives. Or you may like a seductive one that titillates and tempts as opposed to explicitly tells you. Find those writings that attracts you and you will usually notice a similarity.
Wow, I'm kind of amazed at how helpful everyone is being. I really appreciate all of it, and I've thought about all the suggestions. I think, for me, simplicity is the way to go. I've written some history based short stories before, but they were all historical fiction. Even the one about my dad's experiences in Vietnam had some fictional situations and dialog. Despite this writing experience, most of these stories weren't very good (at least not in my opinion).
It is because of my lack of narrative prowess, and because this story is all true with no embellishments or poetic license used, that I've decided to start with a brief introduction to what the story is and who I am. After that, I feel the story can really only be told from the beginning. She's a long story, and I think that would be the best way to go about it so I can't forget what I already put down and what I have yet to write.
It is because of my lack of narrative prowess, and because this story is all true with no embellishments or poetic license used, that I've decided to start with a brief introduction to what the story is and who I am. After that, I feel the story can really only be told from the beginning. She's a long story, and I think that would be the best way to go about it so I can't forget what I already put down and what I have yet to write.
hellsgate
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Try a quote that's immediately relevant to the story subject matter. Sometimes just start off with an opinion or what's going on around your character as you're opening the story.
--------------------------
Example:
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Example:
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Legend Of The Dork Knight
Story by Dude 1 and Dude 2.
"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."
- John Lennon
My story begins as the red-eye greyhound bus I'd gotten on, began passing some of the remaining familiar landmarks on the outskirts of my hometown of Campbell River. Landmarks indicating I was passing through my parents' old neighborhood, about fifteen to twenty minutes from the depot downtown. It was about 5:30 AM on an early Friday Morning. A kink in my neck made maneuvering around in the rear seats painfully uncomfortable but the songs on my I-Pod helped take the edge off.
I was seriously pissed-off that I'd accepted defeat and slinked home, my tail between my legs. I was single, thirty-five years old, unmarried and childless. I'd come home to line-up for a job interview; a mall security guard position, even though I'd been shooting for a job conducting investigations for one of several impressive Vancouver law firms. I'd already made the embarrassing call to relatives to troll for a place to crash, mentioning to me they'd wait for my call on-arrival to pick me up.
I'd packed light and only brought a few days' clothes and a wireless shaver in a surplus canvas army duffel bag, currently sagged over on the seat next to me. It would be a few hours until daylight and the local eateries opened.
I turned up my i-pod, selected some Fleetwood Mac ("Everywhere", "Little Lies", "As Long As You Follow",) and Cyndi Lauper ("Time After Time") to help myself wake-up gradually, tilted my headphones forward over my eyes and tried not to let daylight force its' way in just yet.
Story by Dude 1 and Dude 2.
"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."
- John Lennon
My story begins as the red-eye greyhound bus I'd gotten on, began passing some of the remaining familiar landmarks on the outskirts of my hometown of Campbell River. Landmarks indicating I was passing through my parents' old neighborhood, about fifteen to twenty minutes from the depot downtown. It was about 5:30 AM on an early Friday Morning. A kink in my neck made maneuvering around in the rear seats painfully uncomfortable but the songs on my I-Pod helped take the edge off.
I was seriously pissed-off that I'd accepted defeat and slinked home, my tail between my legs. I was single, thirty-five years old, unmarried and childless. I'd come home to line-up for a job interview; a mall security guard position, even though I'd been shooting for a job conducting investigations for one of several impressive Vancouver law firms. I'd already made the embarrassing call to relatives to troll for a place to crash, mentioning to me they'd wait for my call on-arrival to pick me up.
I'd packed light and only brought a few days' clothes and a wireless shaver in a surplus canvas army duffel bag, currently sagged over on the seat next to me. It would be a few hours until daylight and the local eateries opened.
I turned up my i-pod, selected some Fleetwood Mac ("Everywhere", "Little Lies", "As Long As You Follow",) and Cyndi Lauper ("Time After Time") to help myself wake-up gradually, tilted my headphones forward over my eyes and tried not to let daylight force its' way in just yet.
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Yeah as I reader I never liked setup until I was actually interested in what was going on, so the physical details/scenario right at the beginning is actually a turn-off.
I'm kind of pulled in by a sentence you just wrote in your post, Twitch 15...
"This story can really only be told from the beginning." Hm... that makes me want to read about how you met this other person.
Yeah that's kind of how I figured I'd start it. First thing I wanted to mention was not to expect anything groundbreaking or awe-inspiring to come from my actual writing style, as I'm simply relating the story as if I was just telling it to someone in person. After that, I introduced the person I am now. Then I started the actual story (or at least the setup to the story). The thing is, there's quite a bit of setup. I didn't meet this girl in person until after almost four years of knowing her. Anyway, yeah, I think this story can only be told a certain way, and I'm just trying to organize it so it flows as easily as it all happened.
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