I am writing a fantasy fic story, big plans 4 it and i have writers block. help please!?

Question

I have the outline of the plot done, beginning to end, and while writing, I got to the portion where my three characters-two supporting and one main- to where they are traveling. They are supposed to be traveling for the next month, only I have no idea what kind of challenges they should face. I only have one idea that's crucial to the plot and that is that one of the characters is wounded, and to care for him my main character has to repair the rivalry between her and the other supporting character.

i have the outline of the plot done, beginning to end, and while writing, I got to the portion where my three characters-two supporting and one main- to where they are traveling. They are supposed to be traveling for the next month, only I have no idea what kind of challenges they should face. I only have one idea that's crucial to the plot and that is that one of the characters is wounded, and to care for him my main character has to repair the rivalry between her and the other supporting character. I have also done a ton of planning, and most of my secondary characters do not show up for quite a while. As for subplots, there is one that has caused the events of the plot. I already have a love interest and a love/hate relationship planned. The subplot has tremendous amounts to do with my MC's parents, so the details of it will be revealed in due course throughout the story. I have thought this out better than I have said, I promise you.

I'm just looking for general suggestions. A plot twist would be nice. Everything is going good and then something bad happens. I know where this scene is going completely, it just needs a little spicing up.

Answer 1

Details? What are you blocked on?
Can't help you unless you're can be more specific. What have you got so far?
Don't worry. Nobody is going to steal general outlines and suddenly make them into a novel before you do. You only need to worry about theft once you've put a little effort into polishing something.

OK. So I still don't know what your story is about, but one character gets wounded. Probably in an attack against bandits, orcs, klingons, whatever your story is about...
Presumably that character is important to the two others. One of them could be their lover, while the other has some other attachment (Perhaps a teacher? A parent?) They resent the relationship of the second character for some reason, feeling their relationship is a drain to the promise of the character.
But they're going to have to work together. Both have some sort of talent, say one knows medicine, but is not a fighter, but the other one is needed to help fight enemies in a dangerous place where a rare plant can save the wounded character (Who has been hit by an arrow /phaser beam/ something else that is unique and requires that plant (Or something else).
That could work.

Answer 2

I can see your problem already. You lack subplots.

Here is my prescription for writers block.

STOP writing immediately and read at least TWO classics. Good, solid literature - not junk.

Then start working on character studies for your characters. Use file cards to make notes, adjectives that describe them, anything you want to say about them. You should know your characters so well that you know which way they brush their teeth - up and down or sideways and everything else about them. This will insure that you will know how they will respond no matter what situation you throw at them. Look for pics in magazines, catalogs etc that look like your character and put them on the cards.

Then start looking at how your characters (primary and secondary) rub up against each other. Who likes who, who hates who, who is jealous of who etc. You may need to add a secondary character or two to achieve a nice balance.

Then start adding sub plots. Mary likes John but John is secretly dating Mary's best friend Sue whose brother likes Mary ... etc. See how people rub against each other in different ways?

Once you start thinking of those sub plots and plugging them into your outline, you will find yourself thinking again. Don't push though - remember if you are bored writing, your readers will be bored too.

Lastly if you really find yourself stuck, put it aside and write a couple short stories, just so you dont get stale. I have 3 or 4 books on disks that I started and put aside. Maybe I'll get back to them, maybe I wont. One I started when my son was a baby and he's now 20. Also I once got stuck in the middle of a book, left a hole and skipped over a whole part of the story. I started numbering chapters X and XX etc. I wrote the ending and then went back and filled my hole. Whatever works.

Keep busy. Pick yourself two good classics and start reading. That block will break up real soon. Good luck. Pax - C.

Answer 3

I'll agree with just start writing - anything. Start making your characters do something totally ridiculous, even.
It's only WORDS - you can write, rewrite, erase, throw away - no problem.
I've done this with a story for which I had 'plans', but the silly stuff I wrote just to get out of writer's block actually opened new GREAT avenues for the story, and it became better than I had planned.

Answer 4

Work out why you have the block. Have you plotted yourself into a corner? Are you bored with the story? Are you tired of hard work? Is your execution falling below your vision? Once you know what's standing between you and your work, then you may be able to fix the problem.

Answer 5

If you get stuck, just keep writing. Try looking at the previous sentence and build off of that. Or start describing /something/. Don't worry about whether or not it's crap. Just write. Eventually you'll come up with something.

Answer 6

Start writing, even if it isn't good, describe the characters in terrific detail, include their background and their motives, what are their good personality traits and what is not so good (they must have flaws) then describe the conflict they are in. What are they struggling against and what are their chances of victory or defeat?