Need a little bit of help

[JEFFTHEKILLEr]

I have been trying to write a story for as long as I can remember and I have some pretty good ideas about what to write but whenever I try to or start to write it all goes to hell I cant figure out how to start the story or i would just go blank as soon as I am in front of a screen.

if you have some advice on how I can overcome this I am open to all suggestions.

thank you
--Jeff

 

[KassiopeiaX]

Maybe you are a planner rather than a pantser. Why don't you try putting all your ideas into an outline of your story? That might make it feel easier to start.

Search up 'snowflake method' for a specific outlining approach that I like to use. Good luck!

 

[EmilyMiller]

Maybe you could tell us what “all goes to hell” means for you, this sounds kinda relevant. Absent this info, some things to try:

1. Be ultra-structured - write out the main story points as a bulleted list
2. Then expand on each in turn - add some things you want to happen, some ideas for what people did or said, all in note form
3. Then expand on the above, write an actual paragraph here or there
4. Try to link it together, to make bigger chunks of prose
5. Rinse and repeat

Or…

1. Be totally unstructured - just write in a stream of consciousness way and see where you get to
2. Then edit / restructure / rewrite

Or…

1. Don’t try to write a story - just write part of one scene
2. Then try another - can you connect them
3. And so on

Failing that, drink alcohol. It won’t help your writing, but at least you get to drink alcohol.

Em

 

[MelissaBaby]

I have been trying to write a story for as long as I can remember and I have some pretty good ideas about what to write but whenever I try to or start to write it all goes to hell I cant figure out how to start the story or i would just go blank as soon as I am in front of a screen.

if you have some advice on how I can overcome this I am open to all suggestions.

thank you
--Jeff

Don't start at the beginning. Start with whatever first idea comes to you, no matter where it fits into the story, then work out from that, either forward or backing up and working your way to it.

 

[Becky_Sapphire]

Maybe start by writing a specific scene later on in the story, one that you have thought out in detail, then you can work backwards from there to come up with an opening as writing often becomes easier when you have some paragraphs on screen rather than a completely blank page.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Maybe you could tell us what “all goes to hell” means for you, this sounds kinda relevant. Absent this info, some things to try:

1. Be ultra-structured - write out the main story points as a bulleted list
2. Then expand on each in turn - add some things you want to happen, some ideas for what people did or said, all in note form
3. Then expand on the above, write an actual paragraph here or there
4. Try to link it together, to make bigger chunks of prose
5. Rinse and repeat

Or…

1. Be totally unstructured - just write in a stream of consciousness way and see where you get to
2. Then edit / restructure / rewrite

Or…

1. Don’t try to write a story - just write part of one scene
2. Then try another - can you connect them
3. And so on

Failing that, drink alcohol. It won’t help your writing, but at least you get to drink alcohol.

Em

This is pretty good advice. By the way, did you mean that you have one story idea that you want to do, or have you thought of others? Don't drink the alcohol, however, it's bad for 'ya.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Maybe start by writing a specific scene later on in the story, one that you have thought out in detail, then you can work backwards from there to come up with an opening as writing often becomes easier when you have some paragraphs on screen rather than a completely blank page.

This is much like what Melissa said above too. You can add an opening or any other scene later. And if you have something down, you can work out from there. You must have some premise in mind, correct? And you can drop things (sentences, paragraphs) later too if they don't seem to work.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Maybe you are a planner rather than a pantser. Why don't you try putting all your ideas into an outline of your story? That might make it feel easier to start.

Search up 'snowflake method' for a specific outlining approach that I like to use. Good luck!

It does usually help to have some notes first. If you are lucky (not the correct term, perhaps) you might get an outline that summarizes the whole thing. Then you just have to fill in the scene for each note or bullet point or whatever.

I'm going to suggest that once you get something done, you will find the next steps - not easier necessarily, but they will start to flow.

 

[Sai_dias_29]

I have been trying to write a story for as long as I can remember and I have some pretty good ideas about what to write but whenever I try to or start to write it all goes to hell I cant figure out how to start the story or i would just go blank as soon as I am in front of a screen.

if you have some advice on how I can overcome this I am open to all suggestions.

thank you
--Jeff

We'd have a better chance of helping you, if you gave us an idea of the story. However, my advice would be to plan out the core idea of your story, and build around it. You might be putting too much stress on the beginning, than the story. Maybe that's why you're getting stuck.

 

[EmilyMiller]

This is pretty good advice. By the way, did you mean that you have one story idea that you want to do, or have you thought of others? Don't drink the alcohol, however, it's bad for 'ya.

I have a professional accreditation in recommending alcoholic beverages.

Em

 

[gunhilltrain]

I have a professional accreditation in recommending alcoholic beverages.

Em

i once worked with a guy who had credentials from a bar-tending school. (I don't believe they offered advanced degrees.) The irony was that he had become an alcoholic himself. He didn't blame it on bar-tending, but on his stint in the construction industry where he had to drink with his co-workers every night after work. (I don't remember which order his career choices were in.)

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Don't start at the beginning. Start with whatever first idea comes to you, no matter where it fits into the story, then work out from that, either forward or backing up and working your way to it.

This ^ 100%.

I do this all the time. Just write the first idea that's in your head, or the idea/scene that is jumping out at you the most. I almost never start at the beginning and absolutely never write from beginning to end. I jump around all over the place. You're writing in a document on an electronic device, so it's easy as fuck to just jump all around, cut/paste, insert, whatever you want.

Don't even worry if it's not fully fleshed out. If it is, great. if not, don't worry. My work is full of point form notes that I go back and fill in the details later. Sometimes I'm having a lot of trouble writing stuff out, but I have the idea so I just jot down point form notes. Other times I have so many ideas coming so fast that I don't have time to type it all before I lose it, so I blurt down piles of point form notes. Then later I go to the most inspiring part of the whole thing - beginning middle or end or wherever - the part that calls out to me, "me first!" and start filling in the details. Then move to the next inspiring part, and so on, and so on.

Another advantage to not writing chronologically as that you can be writing something near the end and realize that you should go foreshadow it early in the story and then just go plunk it in. For instance, if at the story's climax the lead character could tell that the killer was coming by hearing the creak in the stairs, then you could go back to the beginning and mention the creak in the stairs when someone else had ascended. That way, the reader can hear the same creak from earlier and clue in themselves at the same time that our hero does, and be more immersed in the scene.

 

[KassiopeiaX]

Don't start at the beginning. Start with whatever first idea comes to you, no matter where it fits into the story, then work out from that, either forward or backing up and working your way to it.

This ^ 100%.

I do this all the time. Just write the first idea that's in your head, or the idea/scene that is jumping out at you the most. I almost never start at the beginning and absolutely never write from beginning to end. I jump around all over the place. You're writing in a document on an electronic device, so it's easy as fuck to just jump all around, cut/paste, insert, whatever you want.

Don't even worry if it's not fully fleshed out. If it is, great. if not, don't worry. My work is full of point form notes that I go back and fill in the details later. Sometimes I'm having a lot of trouble writing stuff out, but I have the idea so I just jot down point form notes. Other times I have so many ideas coming so fast that I don't have time to type it all before I lose it, so I blurt down piles of point form notes. Then later I go to the most inspiring part of the whole thing - beginning middle or end or wherever - the part that calls out to me, "me first!" and start filling in the details. Then move to the next inspiring part, and so on, and so on.

Another advantage to not writing chronologically as that you can be writing something near the end and realize that you should go foreshadow it early in the story and then just go plunk it in. For instance, if at the story's climax the lead character could tell that the killer was coming by hearing the creak in the stairs, then you could go back to the beginning and mention the creak in the stairs when someone else had ascended. That way, the reader can hear the same creak from earlier and clue in themselves at the same time that our hero does, and be more immersed in the scene.

This thread has been a trip for me because I came in here trying to help what seems like a newer writer but now I think... I'm the one who needed the help??

I always force myself to write in chronological order and it's a struggle with motivation when I have to write a casual conversation at Starbucks while an action scene is just jumping out at me screaming to be written

 

[SimonDoom]

Jump into the action, in a way that reveals something about the main character. Don't worry about trying to explain everything right away. Let the explanation come later, as the story unfolds.

 

[ronde]

I have been trying to write a story for as long as I can remember and I have some pretty good ideas about what to write but whenever I try to or start to write it all goes to hell I cant figure out how to start the story or i would just go blank as soon as I am in front of a screen.

if you have some advice on how I can overcome this I am open to all suggestions.

thank you
--Jeff

I'm assuming you have some sort of ending in mind, that being how the characters end up when the story is completed. Once you have that, start by describing the setting where your story will start. Just write down how you see the setting as if you were standing there and looking at it.

Once you have the setting, it's time to add a character or two. You probably have some idea about who those characters are so just write them as you see them. You don't need a ton of descriptions about how they look but some hints about their personality will be good. Just write down in words what your mind is thinking about them.

From there, it's writing what happens from the initial setting to the end. It helps to really understand your characters because if you put them into a scenario, understanding them will make them write the story for you.

Hope this helps a little.

 

[Bramblethorn]

i once worked with a guy who had credentials from a bar-tending school. (I don't believe they offered advanced degrees.) The irony was that he had become an alcoholic himself. He didn't blame it on bar-tending, but on his stint in the construction industry where he had to drink with his co-workers every night after work. (I don't remember which order his career choices were in.)

Reminds me of a video I watched a while back with a musician chatting to a roadie/tech. It's a long video but somewhere in there, it comes up that both of them are non-drinkers (after previously being problem drinkers) and they talk a bit about peer pressure in the industry.

I was interested to hear in heavy metal circles, nobody had an issue with them being teetotal, but when working with country bands Tank (the roadie) had pretty much been told that drinking was mandatory if he wanted to be part of the crew. My industry is pretty good these days (better than when I started) but once in a while I still run into the "can't trust somebody who doesn't drink" types.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

This is just my way, so take it or leave it as you see fit...

I'm of the philosophy that readers come for the premise but stay for the characters. Once I have the inspiration for a story and a suitable premise to tell the tale, I focus on the characters. Who is going to be telling the story? Will it be one of the characters, and if so, which one? Will it be told in the third-person omnipresent perspective and will this narrator describe the characters or will the characters carry that load? The key is first determining which perspective you will use to tell the tale.

With a focus on the characters, I create a spreadsheet that functions as my storyboard where each main character comes to life. This often includes a timeline for the character such as the year that they were born, the years that they were in school, and other key milestones in their lives that may or may not make it into the story. This practice helps me maintain continuity for the characters within the story and establish the likeliest periods for when the scenes within the story could have plausibly occurred. (If you haven't guessed, I write longer stories)

I realize that this may seem like a lot of hassle for a story about an event that happens over an hour or two in the telling, but remember, while the premise may be short-lived, the characters will remain with the readers long after.

Unless you are writing on a typewriter or pen on paper, do as others have suggested and start with a scene that comes easiest for you. Your premise might be about a couple having sex in an airplane bathroom. If writing the part about tab B going into slot A is what you feel most inspired to get you started, go with it. You can always go back and add the details before and after.

If all else fails, dictate the scenes in your head into the note-taking app on your phone. Close your eyes and tell your phone what your mind envisions. Afterward, just copy the words that you have dictated and you have your start.

 

[Demiurging]

You get better at what you do. Practice, practice, practice and accept that for a while what you do isn't going to be as good as you'll have wanted it to be, just sit down and write something; if it turns out to be crap, you can always either throw it away or refine it.

Someday, you'll sit down to start a story and you'll look back, wonder why you used to think it was so hard.

Of course, everyone else here is giving you great tricks to get started, but I'm of a mind that relying too heavily of tricking yourself to write is counter-productive. It's like people who only write when they're in the mood to do it, they're training their brain only to do it when they're already in the mood. You've got to ram your head into a brick wall sometimes, unfortunately.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Of course, everyone else here is giving you great tricks to get started, but I'm of a mind that relying too heavily of tricking yourself to write is counter-productive

It's not tricking. It's managing your stream of thoughts from brain to print.

The story comes from imagination. You picture it in your head (at least I do). All you have to do is get the idea down any way you can, no matter how simply. When you read it back the picture in your head will come right back. All you need is a note. You can fill in the rest later.

If you think that you should start typing instant polished material from start to finish you are often asking too much of your brain. Don't sweat it. Sometimes yes, I type stuff instantly that's wonderful and perfect, whole paragraphs even, but the vast vast majority of the time it's whittled and honed from a rough note to a full sentence to a flowing paragraph of imagery, over several passes in multiple sittings. It's much easier that way.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

It's like people who only write when they're in the mood to do it, they're training their brain only to do it when they're already in the mood. You've got to ram your head into a brick wall sometimes, unfortunately.

Some people write that way and some people don't. When it feels like forcing, I stop. Since I've never gotten anything good by forcing my imagination, I never force my writing. I find it a total waste of time. I'll go do the laundry instead. I have a friend who is the opposite. He writes by attrition. Writes all the time and throws away half of it and keeps the good stuff. He used to throw away more. That works for him. Whatever works for you.

 

[oneagainst]

Failing that, drink alcohol. It won’t help your writing, but at least you get to drink alcohol.

OMG, Yoda! Deceased, I thought you were.

I write from the inside out... expand from the good bits to the fillers, by the seat of the pants. Chronology is a real bind when what you really need is flow.

 

[Djmac1031]

I have been trying to write a story for as long as I can remember and I have some pretty good ideas about what to write but whenever I try to or start to write it all goes to hell I cant figure out how to start the story or i would just go blank as soon as I am in front of a screen.

if you have some advice on how I can overcome this I am open to all suggestions.

thank you
--Jeff

I understand your struggles.

Even after almost two

I have been trying to write a story for as long as I can remember and I have some pretty good ideas about what to write but whenever I try to or start to write it all goes to hell I cant figure out how to start the story or i would just go blank as soon as I am in front of a screen.

if you have some advice on how I can overcome this I am open to all suggestions.

thank you
--Jeff

I understand your struggles.

Even after almost two years of writing stories, I still feel I'm a better Idea Guy than actual writer.

I come up with plenty of ideas for stories.

Making them ACTUAL stories, though, is far tougher.

What I've learned in my time here and talking with other writers:

When in doubt, keep it simple. Don't try to write some wide ranging world spanning tale if you don't have those skills.

Keep it simple. Write what you know.

Research: at least Google some details on things to help if you're writing about something less familiar.

Try to plan an ending: easier said than done sometimes. But if you know where the story is headed, it's easier to write to that conclusion.

Don't be afraid to change that ending or anything else though, if something else inspires you in a different direction.

Ultimately: just write. You'll make mistakes along the way, and you'll learn from them.

But at least you're trying.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Don't start at the beginning. Start with whatever first idea comes to you, no matter where it fits into the story, then work out from that, either forward or backing up and working your way to it.

I tend to write in what I think of as 'ink-blot fashion'. I write scenes and then stitch them together.

In any case, the best way to learn to write is the way the cat learned to swim.

Good luck!

 

[gunhilltrain]

I tend to write in what I think of as 'ink-blot fashion'. I write scenes and then stitch them together.

In any case, the best way to learn to write is the way the cat learned to swim.

Good luck!

All of the tips on here are useful. However, there have been people here before with similar questions - "How do I write?" - or they have written but they now have writer's block. It's hard to answer that because it's an intuitive process, in effect bringing up thoughts that were below the level of consciousness and then processing them into something comprehensible.

The first things I wrote after school compositions were essays for a college newspaper. That may be a bit easier than fiction to start with. Try writing something from your "memoirs" - something that you've seen or that has happened to you. Everybody's got more life events than they think they have. There are even places on Lit where you can publish them when you are done. I've done that myself; they will take almost anything that isn't hard-core political or maybe religious.

 

[Jmanchu]

I have been trying to write a story for as long as I can remember and I have some pretty good ideas about what to write but whenever I try to or start to write it all goes to hell I cant figure out how to start the story or i would just go blank as soon as I am in front of a screen.

if you have some advice on how I can overcome this I am open to all suggestions.

thank you
--Jeff

Just start with writing. Write. Don't matter how it comes out, don't think about it too much. Take the basic premise of your idea and just write it, for fun. If you're not used to it yet, and it comes out not great the first time, maybe disorganized or whatever, that's okay. The more you write, the more natural that writing process gets. Write scene ideas, write journals, look at thesauruses for words and use em. Just write, bro. Putting your imagination into words is like a muscle, you just gotta work it out and get it stronger. You'll get where you want to be.

Your first story might be alright, or you can ask for an editor that can help you with ideas and maybe even rewrite some stuff for you. There's a forum for that. Then study up how they write it compared to what you have and see how they took your ideas. If you like it, see what you like about it. Research, write, refine your writing. Rise, repeat. Eventually you'll be writing like a pro. Keep writing, keep having fun with a metaphor or simile here and there, and enjoy the ride.