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I Need help on how to write great story outlines, summaries, and how to let it flow.

2006-09-03 07:34:35 · 7 answers · asked by Gavin M 1 in Arts & Humanities Books & Authors

7 answers

First, you don't HAVE to write outlines and summaries in order to write a good story. I've never done that for short stories. (Okay, the summaries are sometimes necessary when trying to sell a story to a publisher, but that is a different kind of summary than the kind you'd use for writing it in the first place.) In my opinion, outlines are, beyond a certain point, much more of a hinderance than a help in writing novels, too. There's a feeling of having to stick to the outline even when that isn't for the best. "Gee, I wrote this outline, and if I don't follow it exactly, all that work is wasted. So although I have a much better idea now for where I want this story to go, I'll keep to the original plan."

I had a teacher in high school (I was the bane of her existence, I think -- I wrote contemparary fantasy at the time, and she felt that I was 'too smart to be wasting my mind on that stuff.' She wanted me to become a journalist if I wouldn't give up writing altogether. Bleh!) who told me that outlines are essential. "You wouldn't try to build a house without blueprints, would you?" she said. My reply was, "I don't build stories like houses; I grow them like trees." I have a place to start, and a place that I think I want it to end (this is always subject to change, if the story develops differently), and a few things that I know need to happen along the way. Beyond that, I just let the story happen. Summaries NEVER get written until the story is finished, for the same reason I think outlines are unnecessary: they hnder the development of the story if depended on too closely.

Trust your characters. If you've chosen the right people to be your characters in a story, they'll let you know what they are supposed to do to make the plot happen in the best way.

Find a voice. This means both a voice for yourself as a narrator, and for your main character if the story is told in first person. After a while, you'll find that you use different words, and different kinds of sentences, when writing about different characters and differnet kinds fo stories.

And finally, read. Pay attention to what you read, and think about how that story flows, and how you can adapt that author's writing techniques to your own writing style.

2006-09-03 08:28:25 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

That will take years of practice, learning the basic principles of story telling and grammar, and dedication. In the mean time, read. Read a lot. Try Stephen King's On Writing; A Memoir of the Craft. It's not horror, just gives you insight about that it takes to be a writer. It's one of the best "help" books for writers. Also, you should pick up a copy of Strunk & White's Elements of Style. Invaluable!

2006-09-03 07:42:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

I decide a good e book, a useless ringer for i ought to decide a good action picture. My kind one rule is, if it makes me cry, that is handed my attempt. i love books that make me experience as nonetheless the characters and their situations are authentic. i prefer to forget that i'm even reading. a good e book is one which keeps you up into the early hours of the morning. you eventually end up crying, shaking in concern or exhilaration. those are the books that are "epidermis breaking" in my opinion. So some human beings ought to love Twilight, different's hate it. so long because it made someone, someplace get those chills and goosebumps, that is taken under consideration a good e book in my head. nicely-written would not neccessarily mean it has to have huge vocab and one of those great number of information you do not even comprehend what's happening, to me it basically signifies that the author is definitely-known with of what she or he's doing with their tale. Oh nicely, i'm rambling, so i will end. yet actually, a good e book has to snatch you via the hair and throw you right into a international you not in any respect knew existed and go away you awe-struck and at a loss for words even as that is over.

2016-12-06 07:43:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

takes forever to be a great writer but heres some tips:

-think (just think!)
-write (stop thinking, write , forget about punctuation, capitilization, everything.
- rewrite (rewrite what you wrote and make corrections
-never use the abc checker on word, it doesnt work that well
- use lots of adjectives, not too many quotes
- get that thing were you can talk into it and it types for you... saves alot of time.
-try to read as many different genre's of books possible
- never right on an empty stomach..

2006-09-03 07:45:47 · answer #4 · answered by ♂spakarun♂ 2 · 0 0

You need realistic characters (unless it's fantasy, I guess) and a good developed plot that deviates from the cliche.

You can choose between first-person or third-person. First person makes the story more personal, while third-person can allow a limited view into each characters' mind.

Good luck with your book. ^_^

2006-09-03 09:44:22 · answer #5 · answered by Aimers 3 · 0 0

Good.

Try the URL, there is plenty of free information there on writing, royalties, contracts and more.

Good luck.

2006-09-03 07:47:35 · answer #6 · answered by zurioluchi 7 · 0 0

Read as much as you can.

2006-09-03 07:54:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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