Ihave a fantastic idea for a story....?

Question

Can anyone with any experience of writng short stories/novellas/novels give me any tips as I have never done this before,but I'm going to fulfill my dream by writing it!

Answer 1

What is your idea?????

Answer 2

Don't let that idea get away, write.
Don't worry about line edits, spelling or grammar in your first draft, this stage is only meant for you to get words on paper or screen.
Set out some writing time, try for an hour or two a day and stick to it.
If you get stuck, keep writing even if it's nonsense or description. It will help keep you in the writing mode and may give you new ideas.
Avoid the "info dump" common to new writers. Don't start the first chapter with a load of details, it's boring. Sprinkle them into the story where they are needed.
Only when you are finished do you need to worry about editing. Editing isn't just cutting up your story, it's also adding detail, description, spelling, grammar and character insight.
Give the reader something realistic to sympathize with. A good character has a few qualities that we can recognize and maybe even share, like a fear of falling or a love of chocolate. If there's a way to relate to the character, the reader will be drawn in to see what happens to this new friend.
Get in the character's heads. It's important for the reader to know why the character does what they do. Show thoughts, reasoning and reaction.
Many publishers and ezines are always on the lookout for new material. Once you finish your story to the best of your ability, try submitting to a few places, you might be surprised.
If you want to seriously consider following your dream, join a writer's group, one that matches the genre you write.

One big tip, grow a thick skin as far as editors and readers, not everyone will like your story and the ones that don't will always let you know.

Answer 3

First,
The best stories are about things that you actually know. When you write about things you have know or experienced your emotions come into play and the story comes alive for the readers. If the subject is something outside that then you need to research the idea. Tolkien spent years researching and writing before anything was published. Sometimes one great book can take a lifetime to write.

Novels or short stories can be written more quickly and some experienced authors turn one out every few months, but that is their only job and it occupies most of their time. Some claim to write 1000 words per day, others just a few hundred.

The most important thing is to have something to say, and then you write it. First draft, second, draft, third, fourth, etc. Then you need it proofed and edited. An editor can take your words and your thoughts and put them together into a coherent story, shifting paragraphs and straightening time lines. A good editor is essential to any good story or book.

I would start with a basic outline showing how the story progresses and list of characters and specific event notes. Once that's down you always have your "road map" to look at when you get bogged down in the story line or start going of in 78 different directions. Most important is to write down the main idea you want to convey. It will help you keep focused. It's your story, but someone needs to read it and sometimes you need to look at it from the reader's point of view. Why do they want to read it, why do they want to keep reading it? Does it entertain? Is it informative? Is there a lesson to be learned? Why should I read it? These are questions you should consider when laying out your rough outline. It doesn't need to be elaborate or detailed, it just needs to be your guide, and no one else will see it.

Writing stories can be very rewarding, it can also be hard work and requires some dedication. Anyone can do it, but not everyone is willing to do it well. The important thing is to start, many books never get written because the author never gets started. It's amazing how intimidating a piece of paper and a pencil can sometimes be.

Answer 4

Vogler, The Hero's Journey. look at it for some pointers on character development and plot. The best way to start is to just spill it all out and then go back to it again and again. Its only finished when you say so. Stories take time to write.

Answer 5

Most of my writing is poetry, but I have done some ficiton. My ideas on how to do it are simple:

1-Write what you know.
2-If you're not writing what you know, make sure you make it up instead of basing it on a realityt that is unfamiliar.
3-For character development, "take your characters to lunch." That means make sure you write in their voice, not yours doing an imitation.

Well, that's my best advice. Good luck.

Answer 6

write as much as you can asap, get one of those dictaphone things for any ideas you have during your day to day, never tell anyone your ideas! get copyright when complete, it can cost you around 1,000 sterling to get it published. and keep calm about it, to perfect your first could take you a year (fulltime!). how did you get it was it a dream or based upon your life? or your imagination or a combination?

Answer 7

Yeah right, like people on here have written novels, half of them cant even spell! Contact a publishing house or something.

Answer 8

When you start writing (i presume you will do soon) don't read it and re-read it again again while writing, it makes you lose track and the link is broken...
...do the revision after finishing, so you will be able to make proper editions...

Answer 9

Try your local colleges as often they have a writing class in the evenings.

Answer 10

first try sorting all ur ideas onto paper, put things in order, and try to draw out what ur characters look like (even if u can't draw) and explain who they are, like their age, their name etc.... and put all the info in a portfolio, and refer to it while u write!

Answer 11

just google this question and then contact some of the publishers that come up by phone and the will point you in the right direction.