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How-To-Write a Storygame: Finishing a Story

 
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 10:40 pm    Post subject: How-To-Write a Storygame: Finishing a Story Reply with quote

I find it hard to finish a story once I've started it. Well, a good story, like, I get inspired by a picture or a clip, and begin writing on that, then I lose interest. This has always annoyed me. Any tips on staying interested?
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cjblack532 wrote:
I find it hard to finish a story once I've started it. Well, a good story, like, I get inspired by a picture or a clip, and begin writing on that, then I lose interest. This has always annoyed me. Any tips on staying interested?



I agree. It's tough to stay the course.

Starting a story is easy. The idea is fresh and exciting, but as it goes on it becomes less exciting and more like 'work'.

My experience is that the start is good, the middle is hard to write, but then you pick up again near the end, if you can last that long.

The only thing I would suggest is that you work out the basic plot from the off. Even if this changes (and it likely will) it will give you a target to aim for.

In SGaming, if you have a go at that, people's ideas often help along the way. (Sometimes changing the story out of all recognition, but there ya go!)
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beyond the Horn ended in an apocolyptic battle, with the main character transformed completely. If that isn't the way to do it I don't know what is! Cool

If you're trying to write an ending to please Storm, though...the simple advice would be to give up. Maybe I'll come up with a proper answer later.
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you are constantly getting stuck with stories that have no end, there are a few things you can try. However, I can tell you that this is a problem of focus, and every writer experiences trouble here from time to time. You find yourself carried away, distracted, or your mind simply can't fathom the corner you have written yourself into.

Try some of these ideas.

1- Concentrate on short stories. Start small and force yourself to end a story after so many pages or words. This will get you used to thinking of stories as a finite thing, and it will shape how you begin to approach longer stories.

2- Work backwards. Write your ending first, then build your story around that.

3 - No matter how hard it might be, end the story. Even if it is a paragraph that makes the story feel rushed, end the story.

One excercise I undertook to get better at writing the beginning of stories (this was my focus problem for years) was I wrote a five chapter story. Every chapter was a beginning to another story (as opposed to all the chapters linking together). I did this several times until I felt comfortable writing beginnings. It might help you with writing endings.

Best of luck!
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 6:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Over the past three or more years I have been cursed with an incredible strong writer's block resulting from the exact thing. Basically I get a completely awsome idea, the best idea for a book I have ever had in my entire life. This usually happens sometime late in the day and I think about it and then go to bed. When I wake up I realize the story idea I liked so much the day before was in actuality completely horrible. I sometimes manage to write a page or two, sometimes dwelling on the same idea for a week or two. But in the end my search for the perfect idea always causes me to stop writing the idea. That is my curse, and with a little determination I hope to break it. That is the only way to cure a curse such as this, you just have to keep trying.
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Philosopher wrote:
Over the past three or more years I have been cursed with an incredible strong writer's block resulting from the exact thing. Basically I get a completely awsome idea, the best idea for a book I have ever had in my entire life. This usually happens sometime late in the day and I think about it and then go to bed. When I wake up I realize the story idea I liked so much the day before was in actuality completely horrible. I sometimes manage to write a page or two, sometimes dwelling on the same idea for a week or two. But in the end my search for the perfect idea always causes me to stop writing the idea. That is my curse, and with a little determination I hope to break it. That is the only way to cure a curse such as this, you just have to keep trying.



Exactly what happens to me. I am trying to make a story on here, so it'll help me. Yeah, which is why this site is like a sign from God or something lol.
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 6:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

chinaren wrote:
I agree. It's tough to stay the course.

Starting a story is easy. The idea is fresh and exciting, but as it goes on it becomes less exciting and more like 'work'.

My experience is that the start is good, the middle is hard to write, but then you pick up again near the end, if you can last that long.

The only thing I would suggest is that you work out the basic plot from the off. Even if this changes (and it likely will) it will give you a target to aim for.

In SGaming, if you have a go at that, people's ideas often help along the way. (Sometimes changing the story out of all recognition, but there ya go!)


I dont write much here, but I find in my real life writing if my plot doesnt change at all then its much too predictable. You should have neato little ideas trickeling into your head. You shouldnt try to alter your entire plot; just change a few details of it and the twists and turns write themselves almost!
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